restocks update Thurs. July 24th!

July 21, 2025 by David Norman

Distro and restock update coming Thursday July 24th at 9am PST / 11am CST / 12pm EST with both stores getting a whack of Icorrupt, Shove and Dingleberry releases, Icorrupt (yes including the new Ostraca 12” EP!) as well as ZBR restocks/overstock from Mahria, Crowning/Swallows Nest, Clay Birds, and more! Holy fuck!!!

Sininen’s final song premiere went up last week for the closer “mitt hus”. The band features members of Via Fondo and the seven-track EP ‘I was recently upset’ releases on 120 tapes July 28th via Tomb Tree. Click on the pic above or this text to go to the full premiere with text, links, etc. or just jam it below.

What’s next on ZBR? Well shit, I’m glad you asked. We’ve got tapes on Tuesday July 22nd for ‘Ritma’ by Piri Reis prior to their New Friends Fest performance, followed by Shoganai cassettes for their debut self-titled EP on July 29th. July 30th we’ll be premiering the ZBR Fest 2025 video on Youtube so make sure you attend the first showing if you’re as keen as I am!

Nuvolascura cds are sold out and the “Linear half’n’half” is also out of stock. “Figment swirl” is all that remains. Rockambula gave it a stellar review which you can read by clicking on the pic above or this text. Snag those last few copies now!

Trei Campbell from Iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook, Beau Navire, Elle, Vowels, and Xochtil came on the OMSB podcast for his first solo interview, and I couldn’t be more honored. Pick up their remastered vinyl via Dog Knights and catch the band on tour and at New Friends Fest 2025! Click on the pic above or this text for the full post with links, info, etc. or just listen/download below.

Avery Friedman released a live studio session for the song “New Thing” and you should definitely check it out. We’ve been talking to the plant about the 12” run, and they are behind as they’re waiting on the lacquer. We’ll keep you posted but hopefully they’ll be in-hand early August. Fingers crossed!

Emma Core & Co. gave a ripping review of Emma Goldman’s ‘all you are is we’. If we aren’t 100% sold out you need to run to the US store and snag one immediately. Click on the pic above or this text to go to the review. Buy/stream below!

Dead Hour Noise are on tour! We’ve got just a handful of 12”s left and post-tour I reckon the band’ll be gettin’ low too!

Operation X-Ray played some bangers as per usual, including our very own Nuvolascura as well as Bok Suna, the latter of which Softseed Music has advance copy tapes for sale now via the bandcamp link below.

Johnny’s Reco-mmendations: xMISERYISABUTTERFLYx = The ultimate homies in Smush showed me this band. Very good screamo!

2025 - 06 - 06 /// Big Stuff Thing + Nuvolascura & Carrion Spring premieres

June 06, 2025 by David Norman

Big Stuff Thing this Sunday! You read right, it’s been a hot minute since we’ve had one but we’ve accumulated a few extra things for our “safety nets” that are no longer needed. You will find items from Sinema, Febuary, Othiel, Blind Girls, Crowning, etc. plus more test presses than you can shake an Indian Summer-shaped stick at. Sunday at 9am PST / 11am CST / 12pm EST. The items will be available for just 48 hours at the top of the US Store as a single product with a buncha variants (aka releases) and the Canada store will have a “Big Stuff Thing” listing in the dropdown box for Canada/International Store..

The first Carrion Spring full length album in 15 years is going down late summer/fall and Open Mind Saturated Brain is here to offer you the very first single from 'Those We've Lost and Continue to Lose'. Click on the pic above or this text to go there! Jam/buy their previous EP below.

Nuvolascura’s new and incredible single “figment of reality” premiered on Everything Is Noise a few days back. If you haven’t scoped that shit you are missing the fuck out. Absolute ridiculousness from all angles. July 8th on 500 12” copies over two variants. Co-released with Icorrupt Records. Click on the pic above or this text to go to the full premiere. Jam below if ya lazy.

Swim Into The Sound gave a mighty good review of the new Emma Goldman 12”. We are running drastically low, and these won’t survive the summer at this rate. About 3 blobs left, maybe 30 red. Click on this text or the pic above for the full review. Jam/buy below.

Blue Youth’s ‘Defeatist’ got the ZBR Roster Review series treatment from none other than This Noise Is Ours. This vital comeback was greatly needed. Click on the pic above or this text to go to the review. Jam/buy below!

Click here for the full post with extra links/info!

CanaDave interviewed Jeni Magana on his most recent OMSB Podcast. The two have been scheming behind the scenes and should have a physical release out this summer. Check out great new jams and a receive a bunch of info about her numerous projects and upcoming endeavors. Click on the pic above or this text to go to the full post or just listen/download below.

Click here for the full list of May releases!

Rockambula was handing out love notes in their May edition of Screamo, covering our very own Shibuya and Othiel, as well as loads of great other bands. Click on the pic above or this text to go there. Jam our two releases below, which are both almost sold out!!!

Click here for the full list of reviews!

The Angry Metal Guy softened up and gave Crossed some much deserved love. Gonna see this LP all over best of 2025 lists, so snag a copy before you miss out. Click on the pic above or this text to go to the list of March releases and jam/buy below.

Johnny’s Reco-mmendations: AMID THE OLD WOUNDS = Daniel from Time As A Color fame and ex-Duct Hearts dropping new jams that are included on cd with any order that includes a Softseed Music item! Great stuff. Oh and by the way you can still snag their 7”s from their previous split with No Action by clicking on this text!

2025 - 04 - 29 /// Emma Goldman out, now it's ZBR Fest time!

April 29, 2025 by David Norman

Emma Goldman’s ‘all you are is we’ is officially out and ready to make you revolt, dance, scream, and have your mind blown all in the same instant. Easily a contender for screamo album of the year in the year of our Skramz 2025. 12 tracks of self-described “gabber skramz”, and hot damn that genre mash holds up nicely. Get absolutely ruined below and pick up either a transparent yellow w/red blob (/150) or opaque red (/150) 12” vinyl.

This is the last post before we buckle down for ZBR Fest 2025, so no shipping orders, updates here/facebook/Bluesky. Check out Instagram to stay up to date and this news page will be updated after the fest is over and the Daves get some sleep. Check out 2022 and 2023 recap videos of every band below, and snag the last of our tickets above. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if you live in Chicago…cuz you’ll never know when we won’t be doing them there anymore. Click on this text for tickets. Check out 2023’s fest above and 2022 below.

Click here for the full premiere and interview!

Not Just A Phase just premiered the final Social Caterpillar release via their split 12” with Waunband. It releases on Softseed Music on May 2nd but as CanaDave will be a little busy with the fest and not in Canada, he will have it up upon his return May 8th. Jam it now though by clicking on this text or the picture above. Check out their final full length below (which we still have 12” copies of).

Click here for all the links you need and the podcast!

CanaDave did a podcast with Dan of Satsuma (and Suck City…and The Reptilian…aaaaaaand Seventeen Again) which you should check out by clicking on this text or the pic above. We’ve got a total of 3 tapes left for ‘this is my outside voice’ in the stores linked below (where you can also jam it).

No Depression gave the Avery Friedman album a lotta love so be sure to check that out and for science’s sake check out ‘New Thing’ if you haven’t already! Click on the pic above or this text for the review, jam/buy below.

Sutras has so many reviews it’s ridiculous, but I totally understand why. Here’s a new one from Punk Rock Mag which you can access by clicking the pic above or this text. Jam/buy below.

Operation X-Ray played brand new jams from Emma Goldman and Nuvolascura among countless others.

Johnny’s Reco-mmendations: ORPHANED = New album coming soon plus we still have tapes of their previous EP (embedded below). Wicked atmospheric black metal with great lyrics.

2025 - 04 - 25 /// Emma Goldman and Nuvolascura premiere!

April 25, 2025 by David Norman

CanaDave has been saying for a very, very long time that no one is prepared for the Emma Goldman 12”LP ‘all you are is we’, and you can finally weigh in on Monday when we release the beast. 12 tracks of violent-yet-sassy screamo/emo-violence that has beautiful moments and a helluva lotta precise, mathy, and intense ones. There are even some breakcore/rave interludes that are straight up incredible songs. Check out their full most recent performance at Red Gate below via YYJcore. We did 150 of each variant for a total of 300 12”s which is a ZBR-exclusive release. The band has 100 of these copies and has their record release show early May.

Click here for the full write-up and song premiere!

Nuvolascura revealed their first new song (pretty much) since their 2020 LP, and I can’t say enough incredible things about ‘how this all ends’ because it breaks down the barriers they previously set for themselves. They don’t push the envelope as a band, they torch it and find a completely new mode of delivery. You can listen to “and in the end, you threw it all away” below and get more info from Idioteq.com by clicking on this text or the pic above.

This year’s ZBR Fest will be very special but you won’t find out until after why it is so. And no it’s not the special stage setup with the Daves in tubes. Check out all of last year’s videos below with the documentary recap. If there’s a year you wanna see it in Chicago…this is THE year.

Sinema 12”s for ‘After the Flatline’ came and went in less than 12 hours but the band will have some copies at ZBR Fest! Check out the sick live set from the WKDU studio above as it’s made me even more stoked to see them perform at the fest.

Click here for the full podcast and links!

CanaDave did a podcast with Avery Friedman after the release of ‘New Thing’ which has had resounding compliments thrown at it for the last week, so many so that I can’t post them all lol. Regardless, 12”s are at the plant and should arrive in July. Click on the pic above or this text to go to the podcast and/or jam/buy below!

Click here for the full quarterly review!

Sutras got a shoutout from The Obelisk in their spring gathering of sweet releases. Check it out alongside heaps of other sick albums by clicking on the pic above or this text. Snag a tape below before we run out!

Johnny’s Reco-mmendations: LASTKISSTODIEOFVISCEROTH = LKTDOV is back with a new EP and it’s amazing!

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.