ZBR applies some break action

December 15, 2025 by David Norman

Hey y’all, some sad news first. With the North American economy neck-chop and subsequent monetary turmoil, our sales slowdown will result in less releases over the next few months. We used to do a release every two weeks and alternate between ZBR and Tomb Tree, thus ensuring new music every week. For the next bit I think it’ll be more like one ZBR and one Tomb Tree release a month, so we’ll likely only have one to three releases each month unless sales pick back up again. For the first five years of ZBR I had to pump personal pay into the label to fund it, but since Cullen joined in 2018 it’s become self-sufficient, allowing us to keep releases coming out almost weekly. With everyone hurting and sales plummeting, I can’t pump personal money back into this as my family is also struggling to make ends meet in this hellhole of timeline. So it is what it is.

If sales stay the course, I’ll probably have to open CanaDave’s SkramzCave once more with new items to fund the stuff we’ve already committed to, but that will be the last one. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that but I’ll keep y’all informed. Speaking of, please join our email list so you can keep up to date in 2026 when we start getting off social media (facebook is first, fuck that place).

Our duplication company we use is usually pretty decent, but their handling of our Sans Visage tapes was a bit lacking in proper communication, so we had to push back the release of ‘drowned/resistance’ until Wednesday December 17th at 9am PST / 11am CST / 12pm EST. You can check out “resent” which premiered on Operation X-Ray this past Friday.

Oh damn we got the new Vibora album last week and it is fucking amazing. That’s the cover above for the upcoming ‘Egin Ez Dugun Guztia’ 12”LP, which releases February 20th, 2026 and houses 10 brand new jams. We still got a few of their previous ‘Zaldi Beltza’ 12”LP left (first run all sold out save one!, a couple of second runs also in stock) so pick that up and prep for a new jam very soon!

Magana released her ‘Bad News’ Ep earlier this year, so to wrap up 2025 Softseed will be releasing it alongside her debut EP ‘Golden Tongue’, so be on the lookout for that soon! Until then please enjoy ‘Teeth’ which Softseed recently released on 12” lathe. Gorgeous stuff.

Nuvolascura made the Brooklyn Vegan Top 50 Punk Albums of 2025! Check that shit out above or by clicking on this text. Buy the album before they sell out just like Nuvolascura releases always do!

Ma boyee Bret is the Scumlxrd and he takes some of the best ZBR Fest pics. He’s got a website now. He’s a goddamn sweetheart and hella talented dude. Check it out, hit him up. Click on the pic below or this text for the site.

Our Last Fucking Copy today goes to the last Tenue cassette for ‘Arcos, Bóvedas, Pórticos’. It’s of the ‘random color’ variety, but as it’s in my hand I can see it’s a half white/half black copy that matches the art beautifully. If you like Respire but want more crusty/metal in the mix, Tenue is your ticket! Snag now or forever hold your peace!

Johnny’s Reco-mmendations: GRAVE GNAW = Members of Lower Automation started up this new noise project and it’ll liquefy your brain.

2025 - 07 - 24 /// Piri Reis out, Distro update + restocks, Shoganai is next!

July 24, 2025 by David Norman

The distro and restock update that was scheduled for this morning got pushed back to tomorrow (Friday July 25th) as we just couldn’t get it all ready in time. So here’s a list of what’s coming so you can prep. In this Canada/International store everything will be located in the “New Items/Specials” section (linked here) while the U.S. store will have it all in the “All” tab (linked here). Some products will only be in one store (as in some cases we only have one copy) so be sure to skip between the two stores if you can’t find what you’re looking for.

12”s: Afraid, Malisa Bahat, Øjne (Prima Che Tutto Bruci + Undici/Dodici), Pianos Become The Teeth, Coven, As Living Arrows, Ostraca (Eventualities + Disaster), NØ Man, Cages, Neboas, Yarostan, Put Purana + Tromblon, Potence, Linguaserpente, Life (demo two), Telos, Sacrofuoco, Noverte, Altair, A Flower Kollapsed, and Uragano

7”s: Crowning + Swallows Nest and Demersal + Regarding Ambiguity

Cassettes: Luca, Threeway x Salvinorin A, Beneath Moonlight, and Gelwaz

CD: Ekbom

Shoganai will be our next release on Tuesday July 29th via 53 cassettes, pictured below. 9am PST / 11am CST / 12pm EST. Fans of Nuvolascura, New Forms, Mahria, and Blind Girls will be all the fuck over this.

Piri Reis tapes for ‘Ritma’ came out and is already almost out, as we only took 30% of the run of 100 tapes. The 12”s never lasted so don’t expect these to be around for long, especially after they destroy New Friends Fest.

Click here for the full roundup list of review!

Nuvolascura continues to move, so we’re down to our last copies of the “swirl” variant as everything else is already gone, maybe 20 copies total left. ‘How This All Ends’ was reviewed by Brooklyn Vegan so click on this text or the pic above to go to the review.

Crossed continues to get a lot of love for their third record ‘Realismo ausente’ which is most definitely still in my top 3 records of 2025. Treble Zine did a great feature which you can check out by clicking on this text or the pic above. Listen/buy the record below.

Andrew from a bunch of stellar bands has a Go Fund Me to help recover from a motorcycle accident. At the time of this posting he’s at bout 80% of his goal, help him get there if you can spare anything! Click on the pic above or this text to go there.

Operation X-Ray premiered the final Sininen single from the upcoming ‘I was recently upset’ as well as a Piri Reis jam.

Clay Birds got the This Noise Is Ours treatment. In response to the different titles (“of” vs. “from”), the band’s stuff is “from”, but the cassette j-card for ZBR was made by the band with “of” in the title instead. So they’re both kinda right but the proper title would be ‘a separation from vanity’. Click on this text or the pic above to read the full review. Also a friendly reminder that a few final copies will be posted on this bandcamp page Friday July 25th at 9am PST / 11am CST / 12pm EST

Johnny’s Reco-mmendations: HOARI = We’ve got tapes already finished for this band’s debut EP, but they just released a new jam and it kicks ass!

2025 - 07 - 02 /// Zampler #25 then Nuvolascura!

July 02, 2025 by David Norman

Zampler 25 is out and boasts 35 incredible tracks including seven previously tracks by Twins, Letterbombs, Mt. Ida, Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow, A Recorded Dawn, Serrate, and Lucidity.

Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow has a new music video for their new song on the Zampler titled “Lisa’s Hitz4Hits Extravaganza”. Check it out below or click on this pic above or this text and you’ll get the full blog post premiere with extra links and info via (((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain))))). Direct embed below.

Victoria three-piece needed a second press of tapes (as did we) so those are out in the world and definitely won’t hang around long! New art color for the tapes, too. The bandcamp copies are gone but the links to our stores are on that page, and we got a few copies left there.

Hayley is the bassist for Emma Goldman, and CanaDave recently chatted with her on the OMSB Podcast which is embedded below. You can check out the full post with additional info and links by clicking on this text. There’s also the Mourn Recif release show this Saturday in Victoria and Emma Goldman is playing!

Crossed Letters recently reviewed that stellar Reverie + Put Purana split 12” that we released on Tomb Tree. There aren’t many copies left so scope’n’grab if you haven’t already. Click on the pic above or this text to go to the review. Jam/buy below.

Nuvolascura is next on July 8th and we’ll have both 12” variants and the cds going up alongside the digital album. Five years coming, time to rejoice! Brooklyn Vegan listed ‘How This All Ends’ in their most antipcated releases list which you can check out by clicking on this text or the pic above.

In the most recent Operation X-Ray show Andre played NaufrAAge which will be coming out on Tomb Tree, and was originally slated for release last month but has been pushed to September. Check it out!

I just came across this good Othiel interview and left a comment for the Weezer lover. I think we’re officially out of cds!

Johnny’s Reco-mmendations: CAUTION CHILDREN = New album recorded by Kurt Ballou is up for digital pre-order on The Ghost Is Clear!

2025 - 05 - 13 /// Clay Birds out, Mau next

May 13, 2025 by David Norman

Emma Goldman’s ‘all you are is we’ is tearing shit up, as well as already nearly selling out of the 1st of two variants, Anthony Fantano did a review video on The Needle Drop which is fucking huge to have someone that big pick up on an underground screamo record. Watch above, listen/buy below!

Clay Birds released last week and like 95% of copies are sold out. I think there are 5 copies left in the U.S. store but everything else is gonezo. Absolutely amazing release, wicked people, and sick as fuck live.

Máu 10”s for ‘Anthesis’ will release this Thursday! I snapped a few promo pics of this as the b-side is etched and the entire package just looks hella cool. And the music…my god the music! Incredible stuff from these Cali homies. We’ll have 50 copies of the 300, with the rest being with the band. 9am PST / 11am CST / 12pm EST.

Nuvolascura’s ‘As We Suffer From Memory and Imagination’ was the most recent topic of Out Past the Rings #193. Not only that, but with a new album on the way in late July the band got an extra bump from Brooklyn Vegan with their lead single “and in the end, you threw it all away”. Click on the pic above or this text to go there. Watch the OPTR below.

Joyzine reviewed the Avery Friedman album which you can check out by clicking on the pic above or this text. Release show is this Thursday! Buy the 12”s below.

Sutras got some love from Destroy//Exist which you can check out by clicking on this text or the pic above. Listen/buy below!

Coup D’etat, Emma Goldman, Shibuya, and Llewelyn got a shout-out and play from the always reliable Operation X-Ray.

Johnny’s Reco-mmendations: TELOS = Listen and weep cuz it’s so good but the band is so dead :( We got tapes of the LP left, snag’em now (by clicking on this text) or forever hold your peace.

2025 - 03 - 27 /// Orphan Donor single + Emma Goldman premiere + Satsuma time!

March 27, 2025 by David Norman

Our good friend Jared and gang just released a brand new song via Idioteq.com and you should definitely go check it out for a righteous brain smack. Click on the pic above or this text to go there. Jam/buy their previous 12”LP below!

Click here for the full article and song!

Emma Goldman had their final single premiere on Brooklyn Vegan a few days back! This 12-track debut full length releases in a month and a day, April 28th but you can come see them play most of it live at the below show with the Vancouver Island screamo trio as support, including yours truly, CanaDave. ZBR distro will be in hand. Click on the pic above or this text to go to the premiere.

I figured it was high time to reveal the Satsuma variants for ‘this is my outside voice’ as both singles have now landed followed by the full EP tomorrow March 28th at 9am PST / 11am CST / 12pm EST. Absolutely stellar debut for fans of William Bonney, Osceola, and Matsuri. Ex-The Reptilian and Seventeen Again.

Click here for the Rock And Roll Army article!

Crossed’s ‘Realismo ausente’ is still kicking everyone’s asses, and if you’re lucky enough to be in the EU in April you’ll get an opportunity for a physical ass kicking by attending a show on their tour! We should have our 12”s in-hand sometime in April and will ship out our orders immediately. Click on this text or the poster above to go to a nice article from Rock And Roll Army where this poster was revealed.

Click here for the full article/premiere!

Sutras premiered their first single from their upcoming EP on Not Just A Phase the other day. The shoegaze driven post-hardcore sounds like a mix of Touche Amore and Jesu and it’s freakin’ awesome. Tomb Tree is doing tapes for this with a release date of April 16th. Click on the pic above or this text to go to the premiere.

Speaking of tours, Athousandangelsandseven has some shows wrapped around ZBR Fest 2025. Check out the poster above as well as their podcast which I’ve embedded below.

Softseed Music’s next release is the Avery Friedman ‘New Thing’ 12LP, with pre-orders going up tomorrow along with the Softseed bandcamp, but you can check out some songs on her bandcamp below. It’s a phenomenal debut that fans of Frankie Cosmos, Flower Face, and Squirrel Flower should absolutely love. I’ve been jamming this for a few months and I think it’s one of the best of the year. Wicked stuff!

Johnny’s Reco-mmendations: EYESPLICE = Mind-melting solo project for fans of glitchy myspace stuff that goes in every direction you wouldn’t expect. FFO: cheeseburgerpicnic and GreenBlueGrey.