Louse - Small Pleasures EP

Labels: Makeshift Swahili

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: TBA

Tracklist:

1. Small Pleasures

2. Little Jimmy

3. Christian Rat Attack

I nearly got clouted by a giant tree branch on Friday, courtesy of Storm Lilian. Would not recommend. At least I wasn't at Leeds Fest though! Instead, I've been slowly making my way through various new record purchases (from And So I Watch You From Afar, Blind Girls, Blind Monarch, I Haxa, Massa Nera & Quiet Fear, Norna, Piri Reis & Wharflurch) while also trying to keep on top of inbox arrivals, which I'm woefully behind on. One of those arrivals is the brand new EP from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne's Louse.

They were brought to my attention by Fionn who used to run the excellent emo/screamo label Rubaiyat Records and now runs Makeshift Swahili, focusing on DIY punk/hardcore/noise-rock. Small Pleasures is a new release containing three songs, while vinyl copies also include Louse's tracks from their 2023 split with The Shits on the b-side.

This is some dirty, punk-fuelled noise at it’s belligerent best. The EP title-track ‘Small Pleasures’ almost has no order whatsoever, except for the groove-laden guitars. Imagine Bloc Party, Throat and Meth Drinker forming a band together. To my ears, this is what it would sound like. 

‘Little Jimmy’ flits between sleazy grunge and intense noise. Slow in tempo but exhilarating in volume. When you ask somebody if they like punk/heavy music and they say “yes I like Blink-182 and Foo Fighters”, this is what you should play them. 

EP closer ‘Christian Rat Attack’ is made up of the reverb and distortion that filled the hallowed pages of Maximum Rock n Roll (if you can imagine such a thing). It’s also the harshest song here vocally, including some epic guitar work and percussion too. 

Ultimately, this EP isn’t going to be for everyone. Louse performs music that’s both dirty and groovy at the same time. They exist on their own plain and that’s absolutely fine.

You can listen to the EP title-track digitally below:-

Louse - https://lousescum.bandcamp.com

Physical copies will soon be available from Makeshift Swahili here - https://makeshiftswahili.bigcartel.com/product/mss007-louse-small-pleasures

Makeshift Swahili - https://makeshiftswahili.bigcartel.com/category/makeshift-swahili

Tenue - Arcos, Bóvedas, Pórticos

Labels: Chaina Records/Cintas Juan/Last Time You'll See Me/LongLegsLongArms Records/Pifia Records/Tormentas Records/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 01 Aug 2024

Tracklist:

1. Inquietude

2. Letargo

3. Distracción

4. Enfoque

5. Unión

Spanish post hardcore/emo/crust quartet Tenue recently released their newest album Arcos, Bóvedas, Pórticos via the above labels. It follows their 2018 debut Anábasis and their 2021 album Territorios. Tenue have been mentioned in the same breath as bands like Respire, Birds In Row and Infant Island. This should be a great listen!

Bringing a unique flair to their record with the classy trumpet work of Gabriel Saito, Tenue’s opener ‘Inquietude’ on Arcos, Bóvedas, Pórticos starts off in surprisingly bright fashion. That’s not to say that what follows isn’t bright, but you all know about the harshness that’s invoked when anything screamo/hardcore-adjacent takes over. That said though, the melodic and almost anthemic delivery of Tenue’s crust-laden music leaves plenty of reasons to stick with it (as if you needed any anyway!). 

Being over nine-minutes in length, ‘Inquietude’ is not only a fantastically engrossing opening song, but it’s also an impressive intro for anybody who is new to Tenue as a band. It’s fast and slow sections call out other influences from post to black metal, but ultimately sub-genres don’t matter when the music is this good.

‘Letargo’ is much more frenetic right from the off with mathcore-like panic chords and time signatures gracing the song’s first sixty seconds, before Tenue retreats to a more laid-back emo base. It’s performed really well and sounds super uplifting. Even when things get heavier during it’s mid-section and beyond, things don’t stray to far from Tenue’s melodic blueprint. 

‘Distracción’ is where things hit full black/crust on this record, especially in the vocal department. The instrumentation does lean that way too but again, it’s delivered in a more melodic and punk-like fashion. The breadth at which Tenue performs their music is unbelievable really. Even during the song’s first three minutes, there’s more music than most bands can fit on lengthier albums. 

Penultimate song ‘Enfoque’ has a lovely ambient tone nestling in the background as it’s gentle percussion and guitar work builds. Cinematic post-metal envelopes you as Tenue shifts from that gentle intro towards a heavier approach, albeit subtly. When the tempo switches up, so does the heart rate. Naming similar bands at this point is a completely futile exercise, as Tenue forge their own path. 

’Unión’ closes out the album in breathtaking style, switching between so many different sub-genres almost interchangeably. Once again, the pace is insane yet the music itself is controlled and extremely well played. Honestly, I don’t know what else to say about this record. Maybe the gap between this an my last review has given me a clearer head but whatever, listening to this album has been so much fun. Tenue make astounding music that should be heard by a much wider audience for sure.

You can stream and purchase this release vinyl and digital formats below:-

Tenue - https://www.facebook.com/tenuepunx

Physical copies can also be purchased from the labels below:-

LongLegsLongArms Records - http://longlegslongarms.jp/music/index.php

Zegema Beach Records - CAN/INTL - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases/tenue / USA - https://zbrusa.com/collections/zbr-releases/products/tenue-1

Chaina Records - https://www.facebook.com/ChainaRecords

LongLegsLongArms Records - https://www.facebook.com/3LAdisc

Pifia Records - https://www.facebook.com/pifia.rcs

Tormentas Records - https://www.facebook.com/tormentasrecords

Zegema Beach Records - https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords

Kurokuma - Of Amber And Sand

Labels: Self-Released

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital

Release Date: 09 Aug 2024

Tracklist:

1. I Am Forever

2. Sandglass

3. Death No More

4. Clepsydra

5. Fenjaan

6. Bell Tower

7. Neneh

8, Timekeeper

9. Crux Ansata

10. Awakening

11. Chronoclasm

Reading that a member of a heavy band considers their music to be 'too avant garde to get coverage amongst any blogs or printed magazines' left me quite sad. That sadness was short-lived though as Kurokuma's newest album Of Amber And Sand has recently garnered well-deserved coverage from both Decibel and Kerrang, alongside other platforms dedicated to good music. 

For those who might be stumbling across Kurokuma for the first time; they're a psych/sludge/stoner band from Sheffield (UK) who have released a demo, three EPs, two splits and two full-lengths since their inception in 2014, not to mention a standalone Kraftwerk cover (according to Metal Archives). 

I’m still getting used to having more time in the evenings. I don’t think I’m any more productive because of it but it’s still early days. One thing I do know is that I’m not forever, which may be an odd thing to say but Kurokuma’s music should (and will hopefully) be immortal, as album opener ‘I Am Forever’ proves. It contains probably the heaviest intro I’ve heard from the trio, let alone their most psych-laden/intense musical and vocal delivery. It’s an utterly brilliant first song, containing element of death (and even black) metal as well as an excellent Baglama solo from Babak Sharifimajd, providing a loverly and warm Middle Eastern tone.

The album is made up of six songs or “meditations’ as they’re described by Kurokuma and they’re separated by five interludes that are performed by Empyrean Silence (a mysterious entity that also resides in the Steel City). ‘Sandglass’ is the first interlude and it continues along the Middle Eastern path, leading to ‘Death No More’. By now, you may well notice a theme flowing through this album; one which definitely plays true to the avant garde description. ‘Death No More’ is off-kilter and it majors on the instrumental strengths of the band. It’s mid-paced at first before moving through many different tempos and transitions. The vocals add to the exhilaration even more so.

Following the album’s second longest song with the haunting interlude of ‘Clepsydra’ is a genius move as it briefly settles the mood in time for the groove-laden ‘Fenjaan’, which feature one of the most infectious bass/guitar riff combos I’ve ever heard from Jake and Zakk, whose dual vocals once again shine bright alongside Joe’s epic and controlled drumming. Kurokuma have really matured over recent years and it really feels like this album could truly be their coming of age.

I’m not one for multi-tasking but I am keeping one eye on the football scores this evening. Thankfully, my attention is drawn straight back to this album by atmospheric interlude ‘Bell Tower’, which flows effortlessly into ’Neneh’. It’s an uncharacteristically short song compared to the rest here but it cuts a nice groove once again, pulling you into the album’s second half in solid fashion. 

’Timekeeper’ drifts quietly into ‘Crux Ansata’, which begins oddly in almost mainstream fashion before dispelling any such falsehood thanks to sheer heaviness. It’s a side of Kurokuma that properly hits the spot, especially if you surround yourself with heaviness. Add in the bridge-riff from guest musician Bing snd you can’t really go wrong. At this point I have to mention the ace recording/mixing/mastering of Ian Boult (at Stuck On A Name, Nottingham), as it helps to elevate this record.

Final interlude and penultimate track ‘Awakening’ is brief yet startling, leading into album closer ‘Chronoclasm’, which is the album’s longest song. It harnesses everything that’s great about Kurokuma’s psychedelic sound thanks to the instrumentation and it’s quality. Nearly four minutes pass by before the vocals kick in and when they do, they add an even greater layer to the song, as does the breakdown that was written specially by Thomas Wesley Pentz.

The thing I love above all else about the music and bands I’m lucky enough to cover here is that they’re always looking to push themselves, and their boundaries. The UK music community (away from what’s considered to be mainstream) is a shining example and Kurokuma deserve to be at it’s forefront with Of Amber And Sand.

You can stream and purchase Of Amber And Sand digitally below, where it's also available on cd and vinyl formats:-

Kurokuma - https://www.facebook.com/kurokumauk

Orme - No Serpents, No Saviours EP

Labels: Self-Released

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 23 Aug 2024

Tracklist:

1. No Serpents, No Saviours

There's a hell of a lot of discourse and misinformation doing the rounds right now, especially here in the UK. I'm all for peaceful protest but when it becomes violent, I switch off because said violence dilutes and illegitimises any such "legitimate" cause. Obviously, my small rant means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things but given what's going on across the globe right now, being aware is important. 

I'm kicking off my latest review schedule with drone/doom band Orme and their newest release single track EP (due for official release on August 23rd) called No Serpents, No Saviours, that stretches beyond twenty-four minutes. With their roots in the county that I called home for the first four years of my life, Hertfordshire (I lived in Bishop's Stortford), Orme released their debut self-titled EP in April 2023. They've since followed it up with this new EP and a split release with Wreaths (released earlier this year via Inverted Grim-Mill Recordings and the sadly departed Trepanation Recordings).

It isn’t often that I review single tracks, mainly because I feel that they don’t last long enough for me to formulate any sort of reasonable commentary. This release from Orme is different due to it’s sheer length. No Serpents, No Saviours spans just over twenty-four minutes and is made up of some of the finest drone/doom the UK has produced in a long time. When I think of similar bands; Ommadon and Bismuth spring to mind. Sadly Ommadon are no longer active, but Orme fill the void left brilliantly. 

This is just the perfect combination of epic percussion, rumbling bass, sloth-like riffs and deathly vocals. Psych influences manage to slide their way in at times, but ultimately there’s nothing bright about the sound produced here. That’s fine though because it should only herald darkness. In the case of the latter-half; beautiful yet crushing calmness, stark spoken-word samples and soaring musicianship take over. The lead-guitar work/solos encapsulate what I was just trying to convey in a much better way.

A couple of paragraphs don’t do Orme and their music justice. Merely giving a verbal taste of what’s on offer is enough for me. This is a blisteringly good EP. If you like heavy and/or really well written and performed music in general, you won’t go wrong here.

The EP isn't available to stream yet for obvious reasons but you can pre-order it both on CD or digital formats here - https://ormedroneuk.bandcamp.com/album/no-serpents-no-saviours.

Orme - https://www.facebook.com/ormedroneuk

Sutras - Awakening Of The Spirit EP

Labels: Self-Released

Formats: Digital

Release Date: 30 Aug 2024

Tracklist:

1. Deathless

2. A Daily Reprieve

Recently I was contacted by an individual from Washington D.C. of all places. Tristan Welch makes up one half of US punk/shoegaze/post-hardcore band Sutras, alongside Frederick Ashworth. Tristan's a member of drone band Requiem while Frederick also performs in post-dreamgaze band The Escape Artist, as well as experimental band Almas (if my sources are correct!). Awakening Of The Spirit contains two songs. Join me as I dive into their debut EP.

I’ve nailed down a review schedule for the next few weeks and honestly, it’s a proper relief. I still have a long way to go but things are looking a lot better organisation-wise. Kicking off with US duo Sutras feels absolutely perfect, given the breadth of submissions I’ve received lately. Sutras call themselves a punk/shoegaze/post-hardcore band and on hearing ‘Deathless’, it’s hard to argue with their assessment. The duo’s music is both melodic and sludge-like in delivery, growing with emotion throughout it’s four+ minutes.

‘A Daily Reprieve’ hits hard instantly, which isn’t always the case for post-rock/hardcore bands. The overriding sense is that of heavy sludge but there’s something more subtle going on as well. As a duo, Sutras know exactly what they want to achieve musically. Obviously, it’’s early days and given that they cite influences as far ranging as Tragedy, Jesu, Majority Rule and 108 (as well as receiving the mastering treatment from James Plotkin here on less), it won’t be too long before they’re standing next to their musical peers.

You can stream Awakening Of The Spirit via bandcamp below:-

Sutras Instagram - @sutras.music

IEatHeartAttacks - Please Just Dance Death + Hello Cole Porter

Labels: Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 20 Mar 2019

Tracklist:

1. Liar

2. The Six

3. Refuge Tropicana

4. M.I.A.

5. Two-Step

6. Drowning Is My New Favorite Thing

7. Please Just Dance Death

8. You Will Try To Escape

9. Black Hearts

10. Desperation

11. Deadpool

12. Hello Cole Porter

Jumping back into the ZBR Roster review series before I try to nail down the (as always loose) schedule for August. Things are very much coming together in my day job, which should hopefully mean a more organised approach to all things This Noise Is Ours. Tonight, I'm focusing on IEatHeartAttacks from Norway, who were (and maybe still are?) associated with Norwegian label Fysisk Format, whom turned me onto some very awesome bands including Arabrot, Haust, Kollwitz and Okkultokrati, amongst many others. 

This comp tape gathers their 2017 album Please Just Dance Death (originally released via Fysisk Format) alongside their 2015 EP Hello Cole Porter. Given that it's been seven years since any new music from IEatHeartAttacks, this tape (which is still available to purchase by the way!) stands as their most recent physical release, thanks to Zegema Beach Records.

This tape features twelve songs that go by in just over twenty four minutes. Please Just Dance Death makes up the first three-quarters, starting with ‘Liar’, which is a violent take of screamo and post-hardcore with a solid punk edge. Blasting drums, hardcore vocals and catchy riffs contribute to a rip-roaring opener.’ The Six’ rages in a very similar vein, with a tempo that switches from fast to mid-paced and back round again before you can blink an eye. It’s chaotic but controlled. I can see why Fysisk Format took them in with open arms back in the day. 

‘Refuge Tropicana’ shows off the band’s classy guitar playing alongside their heavier musical delivery. It reminds me of Refused, Kvelertak and The Hives is they became one interchanging artistic mass. I’m well aware that two of those bands are from Sweden, so don’t worry. IEatHeartAttacks could well be describing their own recent silence with ‘M.I.A’, but silent it’s not. A heaving yet precise post-hardcore song delivered in the best way (including their take on panic chords!).

Everybody loves a bit of two-step and the song that bares the same name is, dare I say, a lot more off-kilter. ’Two-Step’ features off-tempo rhythms and atmospheric passages, marking it out as the album’s longest song in the process. Maybe not the easiest to mosh or dance to but don’t let that put you off. From those good vibes to the starkly titled ‘Drowning Is My New Favourite Thing’. Okay so the title doesn’t give way to anything depressive or such like, as it keeps the momentum high and the riffs loose. 

Title track ‘Please Just Dance Death’ once again highlights the off-kilter/math tendencies that IEatHeartAttacks employ throughout their music. Honestly, it’s a banger of a song that’s catchy in absolutely the right way, before giving way to the equally infectious You Will Try To Escape. Itself a mix of rock ’n’ roll fuelled hardcore and atmospheric screamo.

‘Black Hearts’ brings the Please Just Dance Death portion of this release to an end in raucous fashion, sounding a bit like a collage of Cancer Bats and Gallows sound-wise. I’m not complaining! At the end of the comp’s latter half is the Hello Cole Porter EP, which shows off some of the band’s earlier songs. ‘Desperation’ is raw and more visceral. It’s not too far away from the sound on Please Just Dance Death, just a bit less polished (if that’s even accurate!).

‘Deadpool’ may be named after the Ryan Reynolds movie character and if it is, that’s a lucky guess (because the reason why is not obvious to me) but what is obvious is how powerful and too-the-point it is. Ending with ‘Hello Cole Porter’, you’re greeted with a stupendous take on sassy noise-rock that derseves to go on and on.

I’m not sure if any new music will come from IEatHeartAttacks in the future and this tape stands as their latest (and now very very limited) physical release. Whichever way you consume music, go and give this band plenty of love.

You can stream/purchase both Please Just Dance Death and Hello Cole Porter digitally from IEatHeartAttacks below:-

IEatHeartAttacks - https://www.facebook.com/ieatheartattack

If you prefer physical releases, a very limited amount of tape copies are still available from Zegema Beach Records below:-

Zegema Beach Records - CAN/INTL - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases/ieha / USA - https://zbrusa.com/collections/zbr-releases/products/ieatheartattacks-please-just-dance-death-hello-cole-porter-cassette-1

Zegema Beach Records - https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords

Visions From Beyond - Portal To Inertia

Labels: Brutal Cave Productions/Dry Cough Records/Self-Released

Formats: CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 02 Jun 2023

Tracklist:

1. The Crossing

2. Portal To Inertia

3. Second Sight

4. Into Hell

Portal To Inertia is the second and latest EP to come from Bristolian (UK) death/doom entity Visions From Beyond (if you don't count the debut demo that is). It was released digitally by the band in June of last year, while at the same time seeing a CD release via Portuguese label Brutal Cave Productions, alongside a tape pressing from the ever-dependable UK death/doom label Dry Cough Records. I can't remember whether I've mentioned this before but the sole member of Visions From Beyond also forms part of grindcore trio Fetus Christ (and is also a member of new death metal band Ritual Execution, which has recently released it's first tape via Dry Cough).

It’s been a lot of fun tracking the trajectory of Visions From Beyond since the band’s 2021 demo Eternally Bound, Whipped By Time. Grabbing the latest EP Portal To Inertia last year and jamming it alongside other (Dry Cough approved) UK death/doom bands has been an absolute joy. It feels like it’s been an age but I feel it’s time to write about these four tracks properly. 

Starting with ‘The Crossing’, Visions From Beyond deliver raw and hellish death metal with a huge helping of funeral doom for good measure. There’s always a limitation to being a solo project but it doesn’t hold Visions From Beyond back at all here. Gnarly yet oddly cosmic extreme metal more than hints at what’s to come.

The EP’s title-track ‘Portal To Inertia’ is all blasts and mesmeric guitar work, coupled with disturbingly low guttural vocals. Additional progressive lead guitar flutters amongst the heaviness, providing something close to relief. ‘Second Sight’ delivers at a much slower tempo to begin with, as if it’s paying tribute to the early Dry Cough output of sickening doom/sludge. The instrumentation takes absolute control throughout the song’s four+ minute playing time, as the vocals resemble some kind of sporadically tortured beast from another realm.

Leaving the best till last, Visions From Beyond delivers a near eight-minute monolith called ‘Into Hell’, which is very aptly named. The bass guitar provides such a rumbling low-end that it’s hard for the rest of the instrumentation to keep up (which is a strange thing to say given the slowness), but you’ll get what I mean as you get deeper into it. Subtle vocals, exquisite percussion and whale song-like lead guitar textures call time on what is a harrowing yet euphoric body of work.

I’ve already written plenty of positive words about Visions From Beyond here and this EP proves why that’s the case. For me, it’s important to support and encourage bands that are starting out, looking to build an audience of their own. I can’t wait to continue following the journey and if you’re new to Visions From Beyond, get on board too.

You can stream and also buy Portal To Inertia on all three formats directly from Visions From Beyond below:-

Visions From Beyond - https://www.facebook.com/visionsfrombeyond.official

Physical copies are also available from the labels below:-

Brutal Cave Productions - https://brutalcaveproductions.bandcamp.com/album/portal-to-inertia

Dry Cough Records - https://www.drycoughrecords.com/product/visions-from-beyond-portal-to-inertia-cassette-dc71

Beutal Cave Productions - https://www.facebook.com/brutalcaveproductions

Dry Cough Records - https://www.facebook.com/DryCoughRecords

Ilat Mahru - Ilat Mahru

Labels: Death Prayer Records

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 03 Feb 2023

Tracklist:

1. Engorging Sacred Twilight Venom

2. Mystic Possessor

3. Relentless Tolling Across A Thousand Leagues

4. To Yearn, To Suffer

The mysterious black metal debut release from Egypt's Ilat Mahru is my muse this evening. Published both as a limited tape pressing and digitally via UK black metal label Death Prayer Records in February of last year, it was the first time this solo-project had been cast into the ears of eager, underground seeking black metal maniacs. This only came to my attention in early February of this year and while a good few months have passed since (and a new EP has dropped), I wanted to retrace steps and start at the beginning.

Death Prayer Records have been unearthing and releasing some truly top notch black metal over recent years. Ilat Mahru are indeed another great find as is proven by this self-titled debut demo. Opener ‘Engorging Sacred Twilight Venom’ is filled with raw black metal, ambience and gracious amounts of feedback. The vocals and indeed the melodies are buried deep beneath those previously mentioned elements, yet they still get chance to breath and alter the sound of the song (even if they’re overpowered by the intense percussion).

One thing that is for certain on Ilat Mahru is that there’s no skimping on playing time, as each of the four songs surpass well over six minutes. ‘Mystic Possessor’ ratchets up the urgency a little bit, though it still gives the perception of changing tempos even when it really isn’t doing so. That’s the beauty of being able to concoct truly atmospheric music in my opinion. Musicians can make a song sound expansive and/or slow, without it actually being so. Ilat Mahru does that here perfectly.

This demo is so engrossing that I haven’t even noticed how bloody humid this evening has become. It’s apt because the next song is called ‘Relentless Tolling Across A Thousand Leagues’. It does nothing to cool the temperature, thought it’s delivered in such a way that it freezes even the warmest of hearts. There’s something intrinsically avant-garde about it too, but I wouldn’t get too hung on that.

Demo closer ‘To Yearn, To Suffer’ is very instrumentally heavy, as was the opener. The vocals are still present but again they’re shrouded at times. I’m not saying that they should be given prominence over the instrumentation but I know that some purists like that to be the case. Whatever your preference, Ilat Mahru makes something so abject sound so fulfilling without losing any integrity.

As with all music genres, how it sounds and how it makes you feel is subjective. The term black metal has become stretched and (sometimes) misused in recent years. It definitely applies to Ilat Mahru. Hopefully, we can all agree on that.

You can stream and purchase this demo digitally via Death Prayer Records below:-

Tape copies are sold out.

Ilat Mahru - https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Ilat_Mahru/

Death Prayer Records - https://www.facebook.com/deathprayerrecords

Onewaymirror - Everything Wants Me To Write In Cursive 7"

Labels: Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 08 Jul 2024

Tracklist:

1. Everything Wants Me To Write In Cursive

2. This Is My Way Of Saying Hello

3. Fourth Song

4. First Song

5. The Difference Between Said And Done

Having reviewed their Feb 2024 split CD with fellow Californians Gxllium earlier this year, it's crazy to see that Onewaymirror already have new music recorded and out there. I didn't get time to write about this EP last Sunday as planned, so I'm making up for it now. Everything Wants Me To Write In Cursive was released earlier this month on 500 7"s, across three different variants by Zegema Beach Records. It features five quick-as-you-like screamo/emoviolence songs and it backs up what I mentioned in my last review about the good health of the screamo community right now.

After this write-up I’ll be exploring some different sounds and sub-genres for a little bit. After all, you can’t have too much of a good thing right? Onewaymirror (as with Spoiled the other night) are definitely leading me to overindulge a little. This EP starts with the title track ‘Everything Wants Me To Write In Cursive’, which is a proper emo intro track if I ever heard one! Gentle and melodic guitar joined by an emotive, layered spoken-word sample (though it could be actual vocals).

‘This Is My Way Of Saying Hello’ is the first song that explodes with the full Onewaymirror sound and it’s glorious. The mix of clean and harsh vocals don’t mislead in any way, while the percussion and guitars throw some serious low-end shapes. ZBR described it as an “emo-violence/chug-fest” and that description is spot on. These songs are fast and short, unsurprisingly. ‘Fourth Song’ comes next with an absolute assault on the senses. Raw and gritty heaviness that pulls influence from hardcore as much as it does grind. It’s actually the EP’s longest song, if that means anything.

‘First Song’ follows immediately next with metallic, dissonant metalcore-style riffs coupled with Onewaymirror’s violent blueprint. This is actually the EP’s penultimate song, so please don’t be confused. It’s an absolute blinder in truth. Those metalcore-style riffs are brief in nature and give way to some pretty epic grind towards the end. Closing with ‘The Difference Between Said And Done’, Onewaymirror go all out to demonstrate just how intense they can be musically. It’s definitely extreme, but in the best possible way. 

I know that genre and sub-genre explosions are cyclical. I could reference several over the last ten years but the current influx of post-hardcore/screamo adjacent bands (and people/labels pushing them) is really positive. I appreciate that I am one of those people but I also see no problem with that, apart from one exception; the UK seems to be underrepresented. Maybe it’s because I’m unaware, in which case I need to change that.

You can stream and purchase the EP as a name-your-price download via ZBR below:-

Physical 7" copies are also available to purchase above, though quantities are extremely limited.

Onewaymirror - https://onewaymirror.bandcamp.com

You can also buy copies from the stores below:-

Zegema Beach Records - CAN/INTL - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases/onewaymirror / USA - https://zbrusa.com/collections/zbr-releases/products/onewaymirror

Zegema Beach Records - https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords

Spoiled - AV_Syndrome_0.1 EP

Labels: Self-Released/Larry Records/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Digital/Tape/Vinyl

Release Date: 21 Dec 2019/01 Apr 2020/04 July 2024

Tracklist:

1. 夢

2. desolation, joi

3. 11111

4. 胸騒ぎ

5. Skins

July is a pretty stacked month for new releases from Zegema Beach Records. I've picked a couple out to  try and cover today, starting with AV_Syndrome_0.1 by screamo/emo-violence band Spoiled. Originally released by Spoiled back in 2019, it was later released on tape in 2020 by Larry Records who this time have joined with ZBR to press the record on vinyl, limited to 100 12" copies with various coloured covers. It's close to selling out as well, so get in quick if you want a copy. Spoiled originated in Cyprus and I don't think they're active anymore.

It’s such an exciting time for screamo right now, with new bands constantly appearing and longer running ones still producing excellent music too. Spoiled come at you from the more violent end of screamo and after a gentle intro, opener ‘夢’ flits between intense emoviolence and soothing post-hardcore made up of insane percussion, dissonant/atmospheric guitar work, caustic screams and clean vocals that are a throwback to classic emo. Add a running time of well over six minutes and you won’t find a more epic opening song than this.

‘Desolation, joi’ follows on instantly with much more urgency and almost none of the introspection. Off-kilter and jangly guitar with mathy drums and more frighteningly caustic screams make it unpredictable to say the least. That’s putting it lightly too! In stark contrast, ’11111’ is very serene with piano quietly playing over the top of calming bird song. A great way to allow you to catch a breath or two.

That breath is whipped away once more on ‘胸騒ぎ’ with it’s ringing feedback and ever changing tempos. Spoiled write such good music though that it doesn’t matter how much those tempos change, because in spite of all the aural madness, it all fits together. That’s a hell of a skill for any musician to have. Rounding out AV_Syndrome_0.1 with ‘Skins’, Spoiled use the same approach as they did on the EP opener but this time with larger instrumental passages. It’s once again a mix of violence and beauty that must be heard to be believed. 

What a record! Almost five years on from it’s original release, it seems perfect for AV_Syndrome_0.1 to be available on vinyl, limited as it may be.

You can still grab the EP as a name-your-price download from Spoiled below:-

Spoiled - https://www.facebook.com/spoiledofficial

Tape copies are long sold-out from Larry Records, but you can still buy copies of the latest vinyl pressing from them and Zegema Beach Records below:-

Larry Records - https://larryrecordsisagang.bigcartel.com/product/spoiled-av_syndrome_0-1-12in

Zegema Beach Records USA Store - https://zbrusa.com/products/spoiled / CAN/INTL Store - http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases/spoiled

Larry Records - https://www.facebook.com/larryscrammo

Zegema Beach Records - https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords