The Aftermath

May 11, 2023 by David Norman

ZBR Fest 2023 exceeded our wildest dreams. Truly a next level weekend bursting with incredible bands, beautiful/compassionate humans, and even a few life affirmations. There is so much to say but I’ll save it for my eventual blog post on (((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain))))) as right now I’ve got to push our new stuff coming out…like ZMAR which came out yesterday! And Yuki (foreverwewillmissyou) which comes out tomorrow!

So Zmar from Prague have created a truly wonderful, powerful, and beautiful album by way of seven excellent screamo/black-metal/post-rock jams. Part Tropical Ice Land, part Vi Som Alskade Varandra Sa Mycket, and part Nulajednanulanula (no North American comparisons for you!), the band explores the issues of war, racism, hate, anger, and a myriad of other concepts plaguing our planet. We’ve only got 70 copies between our stores, all with gatefold jackets and screen-printed outer sleeves.

Our friends at Stereogum picked up on it immediately and posted a nice little review reminding you to, at the very least, jam those first two songs. If that doesn’t catch your attention you probably stumbled onto this post by accident. Click on this text or the pic above to go to the review.

Perfumed Saturnine Angels releases on May 22nd so it’s probably about time to show you the variants of this beast. 75 copies exist, 50 with full-body UV screen-printing and 25 swirls which go on sale at 9am PST / 11am CST / 12pm EST via Zegema Beach Records and Santapogue Media. This album features members of Cara Neir, Gonemage, Apostles Of Eris, Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow, etc. and deals with addiction as the original vocalist passed away prior to recording. Kinda PG.99, kinda Envy, kinda Cara Neir.

Yuki (foreverwewillmissyou)’s ‘Time doesn’t heal all wounds pt.2’ cassette releases tomorrow via Tomb Tree alongside a decent distro update in the Canada/International store (aka this one). This project brings to mind screamo not unlike People’s Temple Project, Eyes Of Verotika, Pique, and A Paramount A Love Supreme. 9am PST / 11am CST / 12pm EST on Friday May 12th! You can stream the single below.

Crossed Letters reviewed two sick Tomb Tree releases that we still have a few left of, there’s the Amber Daybreak cassette as well as the Mis Sueños Son De Tu Adiós + Burial Etiquette split. Definitely read the review and check out all three bands! You can go to the review by clicking the pic below or this text.

This Noise Is Ours did another review for us, this time removed from the Roster Review series, as it focuses on newly released and almost sold out Life ‘demo three’ 12”LP. Click on the pic above or this text to go there, and you can jam that sucka below.

Softseed Music released the Amid The Old Wounds and No Action split 7” a few days back. If you like Duct Hearts and softer emo stuff this 7” is for you! I’ve only got 10 copies spread across the SSM store and this Softseed Distro (in the store tab). Hard recommend!

Johnny’s Reco-mmendations: Jota = Holy shit what the fuck is this? Incredible!!!

2022 - 09 - 05 /// We're back!!!

September 05, 2022 by David Norman

Holy shit we’re back! Two weeks of taking stock, trying and failing to respond to all messages, and taking care of sick kids. Living the dream.

Now that we’re back it’s non-fucking-stop until 2023, baby. First up is Rotting In Dirt which releases on 12” this Wednesday September 7th with a Mathcore Index exclusive stream. The tracks will be available on our bandcamp the following day.

During the break CanaDave went on a Back When binge, talking for over an hour on the Ron And Matt Must Listen podcast as well as the Midwest Screamo blog. The podcast is embedded below and you can get the shorter, written blurby dealy for Midwest Screamo by clicking on this text!

CanaDave went to town on the Out Past the Rings series during the break and knocked out four, so we’ll have at least one every update for the rest of the week. This one is for the split 7” between SeeYouSpaceCowboy and Secondgradeknifefight. Sold out? You betcha.

New Grass formed a live band to play this show and holy smokes they did not disappoing! I’ll be posting a band per post again so Day 2 of ZBR Fest Mid-West 2022 on June 12th, 2022 will fly by.

Operation X-Ray played some killer jams on August 26th including Glassing, Russian Circles, and our very own Letterbombs, In Wolves’ Clothing, Virgin Mother, and Amber Daybreak!

Johnny’s Reco-mmendations: VENUS TWINS = Holy shit this duo released three new songs recently and this one slaps seriously hard!

2022 - 08 - 18 /// Amber Daybreak re-released!

August 18, 2022 by David Norman

Tomb Tree just released the 2009 album ‘Sentinels’ by Amber Daybreak (member of Chalk Hands) and we’re the only place to get’em. Super awesome, mathy, spacey, noodley, screamo from Belgium. Tapes /85.

On Saturday we’ve got the split 12” between In Wolves Clothing (US) and Letterbombs (Finland) as well as the cassette release of ‘The Weight of Everything’ by Blind Girls! Oh happy Saturday indeed.

Unsigned Showcase featured Cuck on the 5 Extreme Bands From Around The World. Check it out below! Tomb Tree released the ex-Swallows Nest band’s debut full length last month.

Gillian Carter just announced a new full length yesterday on Skeletal Lightning so this timing couldn’t have worked out any better. This band is 1) full of awesome humans, 2) an amazing screamo band, and 3) put on the best sets of almost any band I know. Only one more band from Day 1 of ZBR Fest Mid-West 2022 on June 11th, 2022, then we’re on to Day 2!

Johnny’s Reco-mmendations: GILLIAN CARTER = You should probably check out the new song and pre-order that new 12”!!!

2022 - 08 - 15 /// In Wolves' Clothing + Letterbombs split!

August 15, 2022 by David Norman

On Saturday we’ve got an In Wolves Clothing (members of Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow, Armagideon Time, etc.) and Letterbombs (from Finland!) split 12” in addition to the posting of ‘The Weight of Everything’ Blind Girls tapes!

The boxes both stores were waiting for have arrived and we can now ship absolutely everything except Meditations #5 (that last 7” in the series) as those STILL are not done yet but should be soon. As we go on a two-week break for the final two weeks of August we’ll get all of our orders out before then <3

A friendly reminder that the Cara Neir ‘Phantasmal’ still has like 2 mages and 4 OG splatters going out randomly and there’s only about 35 copies left of the Hellfire left in both stores…so your odds are 6/35 aka 17%!!! Order links are on our bandcamp page :)

Tomb Tree is releasing the Amber Daybreak ‘Sentinels’ album on swirl tapes (and some gold ones, pictured below). Limited to something like 80 copies, these won’t hang around as members now play in the very successful screamo act Chalk Hands. Fans of Via Fondo, Trachimbrod, and Raein should take note.

Hundreds Of AU were an obvious choice to have play ZBR Fest as we love their band and were finally lucky enough to be involved in their 12”EP last year. These veterans put on a fucking clinic and are just straight-up awesome people, bringing us near th end of ZBR Fest Mid-West 2022 Day 1 on June 11th, 2022.

Johnny’s Reco-mmendations: JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE LETS YOU TORTURE THEM DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULD = Woah this came outta nowhere and is a seriously incredible EP. Super mathy, very screamy, a tad twinkly? Whatever it is I love it.