Oh, we did miss our multi-artist interviews & special features, and especially those regarding the ever prolific screamo, mathy/chaotic hardcore and emotive post hardcore scene. Our last installment celebrated the 12th edition of Zegema Beach Records‘ Zampler series, and today, 6 months after its latest 13th issue (we skipped the cursed number for superstition reasons), we are giving you another in-depth commentary to portray the current state of screamo, through the lens of an impressive selection of varied offerings from 23 bands featured on the newest Zampler compilation! Here-we-go!
Zegema Beach Records’ Zampler #14 is subbed “Games and Theory” and can be grabbed at this location. The sampler hits the streets on 100 CDRs that will go out with all ZBR orders, plus 5 golden ticket versions that act as a free 3-day pass to ZBR fest. Yay! Dig it!
ALESKA – “Indispensables”
Behind the track
Nico: âIndispensablesâ was the first song weâve made for this record. We already had this song before the first LP was released, so itâs an old song compared to the others. We started to work on the new album and we wanted a song with energy and a good construction. Lyrics are talking about humanity, the fact that we are always thinking about us and that we donât care about the rest of the world. But this world was there before us and will always be there after us⊠He doesnât need them to exist!
Adri: It seems that âIndispensablesâ is a very appreciated track. It’s the first one that we’ve created on âConstruire ou dĂ©truireâ. It talks about individualism, sometimes people they are essential. It’s sad to see how a big part of occidental people like us are capable to don’t give a shit about each others, they Just want to earn/have more than you, to possess meaningless things to feel better for a moment. In fact, it talks about how capitalism break theirs hearts and minds everyday without being aware of this mechanism.
Best records heard in 2019
Nico: To me, I am a great fan of SUM 41, and I really like the new album released this summer. For the âscreamoâ scene, everybody should listen the new STATE FAULTS âClairvoyantâ which is absolutely amazing. ENVY is and will always be my favorite band. Their new song âA step in the morning glowâ is really nice and I canât wait to listen the new album âThe Fallen Crimsonâ which will be there in February (pre-order is done for me and I hope to have it fast at home).
Adri: SHINGUARD – 2020, FRAIL BODY – A brief memoriam, STATE FAULTS – Clairvoyant, SHIROKUMA – Clothes I wear for the space i’m in, MONO – Nowhere how here, NO VALE NADA – Alter ego, ABRELOSOJOS, CULT OF LUNA – A dawn to fear, AMYGDALA – Our voices will soar forever, NORMA JEAN – All hail, DEFEATER, TRADE WIND – Certain freedom, PRUNE DEER, FREE THROW – What’s past is prologue, GLASSING – Spotted horses, ELLE – ellipsis, THE GET UP KIDS – Problems, LYSISTRATA – Breath in/out, PORTRAYAL OF GUILT – Suffering is a gift, THRICE – Deeper wells
Best shows played/attended in 2019
Nico: The best show weâve played was with STATE FAULTS and SHIROKUMA in Metz (France). It was so amazing to have this two greats bands at 30km from home and it was more amazing to have the chance to play with them. For fans of this two bands like us, we were like teenagers who meet their idol! The shows were perfect and the guys too. A night that we will never forget. Thanks again to âCLOUâ who organized the show and to IVAN who made so much for these bands!
The second was the ITAWAK FEST in Strasbourg (France). We were really proud to play there and it was a really great moment for us. Thanks to âSeven Years A Weekâ and THOMAS and JOF who give us the chance to be a part of this fest. And thanks to ITAWAK RECORDS to organize this amazing show!
Adri: For aleska, I will keep two shows, one is the itawak fest where a lot of awesome bands were playing. It was an honour to be a part of it and to meet beautiful People. The second one were in our hometown, Metz, we had the chance to play with state faults and shirokuma. Besides their awesome music, they are so kind and cool guys. It was a pleasure to meet them and play together. I’ve seen a lot of shows this year but I will remember : Envy, Thursday, Ojne, Sport, Cassus, Niboowin, State faults, Shirokuma and King apathy.
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
Nico: Itâs really hard to speak about âscreamoâ scene locally⊠In France, we canât really speak about âscreamoâ scene since a lot of time now! There are still bands who came from this scene but itâs difficult. Thatâs why itâs so good to see bands like STATE FAULTS, SHIROKUMA, ENVY, CULT OF LUNA and more⊠who came with new stuff and are still there after these years.
Adri: 2019 was a great year for screamo and emo scene, first of all it was full of awesome records (big love for the SHIN GUARD album) and full of awesome come-back too. In our town, little town, we have a problem as such others cities, venues are closing. It’s difficult to put a show, to play. Sadly, our favorite place in Metz is now closed for obscures reasons. However, CHATEAU 404,, KAOMETZ and others keep the scene alive and I support them because they believe in what they do.
Plans for 2020
Nico: For now, we are on stand-by mode since the end of this year. We planned to release our album and to play shows as much as possible but in September, our drummer left the bandâŠ
It was a difficult time, but we are still there! We canât play shows for the moment, so we are working on a new album. We are looking for a drummer and we hope to be able to play shows as fast as possible in the year to come.Adri: 2020 will be a year of transition. Vincent our drummer, left the band and for Aleska it’s a harsh period. We want to continue but it will be hard to come-back. It happened at the worst time and after 8 years, it’s difficult to see how it’s gonna work. We decided to create new songs so, let’s see! I’ve some projects, the first album of FEAR OF TOMORROW my other band, also, I started another new band which is called BRUME(S), only screamo with short songs. Anyway, I’m grateful to know my friends, to see that our little album has been appreciated by lovely people.
Thanks to Dave and Zegema Beach Records, who have done a lot for us and for this record! Thanks again to all people who helped us with our crowdfunding pre-orders, without you nothing would have been possible!
>>Â âConstruire Ou DĂ©truireâ â screamy post hardcore act ALESKA share track-by-track commentary
ANTARCTICA – “Lazerz 30 Airsoft 3”
Behind the track
Lazerz is one of the earlier Antarctica tracks, and is quite literally about a game of laser tag in the dark in Fortuna. We didnât like playing much because it has several obvious Daughterisms and is a pretty straight-forward dance number, but it remained a crowd favorite
Best records heard in 2019
The best record in 2019 was The Callous Daoboys – âDie On Mars.â Mark my words when I say that band will go down as essential addition to the canon.
Best shows played/attended in 2019
Didnât play any shows this year, but the show I attended was a show I organized: Mathcore Index Fest 2019, which literally consisted of a lineup that I would personally want to see, so naturally I got a lot of enjoyment there
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
Locally the screamo scene is pretty much non-existent, but I think Senza has singlehandedly sort of revitalized interest in the genre
Plans for 2020
New music, hopefully on vinyl
BLUE NOISE – “Everyone Goes Away Eventually”
Behind the track
This and the track before are sort of just a change in energy on the record from reverby “blackgaze” (even though I do not consider this black metal in the slightest) to a more traditional screamo and almost 2000s post-hardcore kind of sound.
Best records heard in 2019
lord snow – shadowmarks
nuvolascura – nuvolascura
seeyouspacecowboy – the correlation between…
gif from god – approximation…
binary – say your prayers…
nine inch nails – bad witch
ceremony – in the spirit world now
rico nasty – anger management
100 gecs – mine gala set
tyler the creator – igor
daughters – you wont…
Best shows played/attended in 2019
Haven’t seen or gone to many shows this year but my band Z.O.N.E played with seeyouspacecowboy in august and people heard us for the first time and moshed which was pretty cool
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
Haven’t really been a part of any screamo scene to speak of in a while since i haven’t had anyone really to play music with recently so i’m not super sure tbh
Plans for 2020
Finally playing music with some people! making some changes in my life and new music is to come, especially one particular screamo record from a band that i used to be in
CARRION SPRING – “Carrion Spring”
Behind the track
Something about the way that song came together, which was very quick and organic, felt like it needed to encapsulate some core of what our band has been for all these years. The conceptual approach to our music still energizes me, and I wanted to make sure that the opening track captured part of the bandâs essence since its inception, while attempting to connect with the contemporary. For us, Carrion Spring intersects with existential threats, both in terms of the individual and entire holistic communities, whether that concerns mental/physical/emotional health, climate justice, social justice, racial justice, political oppression, or all the above. The song is meant to be short, furious and emotional. America is a tinderbox right now, and those who are inciting fear and violence are still largely attached to the old and archaic- old ideologies, old power structures, old guards, old identities based on binary thinking and otherness, old forms of socio-economics and old political theories. All of that noise needs to die off en masse like right now if we are going to steer the course of humanity toward something of an even remotely sustainable future within a burning world. So bring that fucking rain already, a rain to drown those who gasp the last breaths of colonialism and capitalism, and a rain that will nourish a new world. Thatâs at least my best attempt at maintaining some PMA in this day and age.
Best records heard in 2019
A lot of great albums were dropped this year. I (Adam) am going to fail recalling many of them at this moment, but some that got frequent play time was – Pile, Duster, Hundreds of AU, 55 Deltic, State Faults, Madlib/Freddie Gibbs, Mount Eerie, Coma Regalia, Efrim Manuel Manuck, Jay Prince, Shin Guard, Joliette, Soul Glo, Foxtails, For Your Health, Senza, Crumb, Institute, Solange, MONO, Angel Olsen, Storm{o}, Elle, Shizune/Lytic, Chihei Hatakeyama, BROCKHAMPTON, Vagabon, Blood Orange, Frail Body, Nuvolascura, Lord Snow. Especially in terms of hardcore/screamo stuff, the list is huge beyond this crude recollection, for there have been so many albums I got down with this year.
Best shows played/attended in 2019
New Friends Fest in Toronto was a special weekend. I was fortunate not only to be there, but to also play. I could easily read off every single band on the roster as having put on incredible performances, so for anyone curious, just go find the flyer- no one disappointed, and some bands moved me deeply. I havenât experienced a festival like that since attending Krazyfest circa 2000. Joliette, Elle, Senza, and Nuvolascura at a house show in Portland was good shit. Seeing Duster reunite and even perform some new songs pre new album release was one of the biggest highlights of my whole year. Pile too had an emotional performance that fucked me up for days. All the shows on our tour ruled, one that really hit right was Your Health, Gillian Carter, Closedown, and Jeromes Dream, mainly due to the pleasant surprise of JDâs performance. I was of the camp that felt underwhelmed by their return album, but damn did those songs translate powerfully live, let alone seeing their older stuff played phenomenally well. Playing with No Man and seeing Black Ships reunite in their hometown of Montreal was a mighty fine night. I also caught Spirit of the Beehive out here, which continually is better every tour. Oh, and the Majority Rule/Page99/Portrayal of Guilt tour out here in Portland was a show that left me sore for a week.
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
Iâve had conversations with homies new and old about screamo in 2019, and it seems like a pretty wide consensus that it was a real significant year for this music movement. Between all of these amazing albums getting dropped, awesome tours, and the decent attendance of larger gatherings like New Friends/ZBR fests, it was some kind Revolution Summer redux. Personally, our summer tour was rad, everything itâs always been for us in the past and then some. We felt very fortunate that people came out and came through for us, we couldnât have asked for anything more.
Regarding Portland, OR, our bandâs location, it has always had a very small scene, albeit it salient from time to time. There are a couple of bands currently who are holding it down here, although it is possible that I am slightly out of touch. Not only do I find myself less active in the house/DIY scene here as I get older, but Carrion Spring is also only able to be partially active due to one of our guitarists living in New Mexico. The bands I do know here that are doing their thing are all doing it pretty fucking well. Plus, weâve had some awesome touring bands come through, good house shows, couple of DIY spaces, so yeah, it feels a little more active than the preceding year.
Plans for 2020
We are excited to be putting together new material in 2020. We havenât decided anything yet of what length or medium for the release, but stoked on some stuff in the works. We will be playing Zegema Beach Records Fest up in Vancouver BC during June, and are hoping to spend a little time traversing our coast to play some cities we havenât been to in over half a decade.
COMA REGALIA – “Deimaestus”
Behind the track
There’s an ongoing narrative that weaves through our full length records. The records are not recorded in order, per se, and so sometimes I take the opportunity to write a piece of the story that pertains most to what I’m going through personally at the time. I lost two people really close to me this year and at the same time the world just seems rotten and horrible. If we feel this alone and hurt and we lose these people we rely on for support, who we rely on to give our support to, how do we keep going with those pieces of us gone? Deimaestus is a song about death and persistence and maybe ultimately hope.
Best records heard in 2019
Honestly my favorite records are all ones I had part in releasing. Overo, Senza, Snag, Hundreds of AU, Djunah, Malevich, Lifes, the Death of Spring split (For Your Health, Shin Guard). Then there’s the three that got away haha the ones I wished I released. Soul Glo, Lord Snow and Nuvolascura.
Best shows played/attended in 2019
I’ve really been fortunate to play some incredible shows this year. Coma Regalia played CMAR on our European tour so that’s obviously top of the list for CR. Still kind of can’t believe I got to see Republic of Dreams… Plague Walker played a show in New Jersey on one of our tours that was Hundreds of AU, Massa Nera, Low/Light (now Burial Dance) and For Your Health.
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
The screamo scene in Lafayette is nonexistent but out of town things have been great. There’s a new band in Bloomington called Pictures of June that we played with on the last PW tour. It was probably the youngest crowd I’ve played to since I was a teenager and that was truly inspiring to me.
Plans for 2020
CR has recordings in various stages of production right now for 4 split releases and one EP. We are also planning to release our 6th LP “il evectes” and do a west coast tour in the summer.
PW is almost finished with our LP “Para Mis Enemigos” which we’ll be releasing in conjunction with our first European tour with Komarov. We’re set to play Miss The Stars Fest and couldn’t be more ecstatic to hit the road with Loz and Tom againI have a lot of other projects that are nearing completion. Stay tuned to middlemanrecords.bandcamp.com for that.
ELLE – “Wound”
Behind the track
We were stoked to go kind of melodic hardcore on this one. Wound is really about dealing with differentiating between emotions that we deal with from pressures of of modern society. Are we all wounded, wound up or is that the same? We let society desensitize ourselves from feeling love and caring about others.
Best records heard in 2019
Nuvolascura s/t full length. Drei Affen – Seguimos Ceigxs – EP. State Faults – Clairvoyant, were some of my favorite + many more!
Best shows played/attended in 2019
Zegema beach fest was amazing that we played with some amazing bands and friends. Also pumped to play at abco art space in oakland to a bunch of hometown homies and with friends. I went and saw one of my favorite groups of all time play: Jonsi and Alex in San Francisco with Orchestral backing and it totally blew my mind!
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
Locally it’s been coming back, stoked on the mini resurgence happening in cali with bands like Hawak, Ghost Spirit, Nuvo, etc. also there’s many shredders up in the pacific northwest and canada we’ve been stoked on.
Plans for 2020
We have talked about some small and big plans for sure, hope to do more shows potentially get further east and potentially get another smaller release or two in there ??
HAWAK – “Burden Sharing”
Behind the track
“Burden Sharing” was the first song we wrote with Ben after he joined the band.
Best records heard in 2019
Elle – Ellipsis, Tierra Whack – Whack World, State Faults – Clairvoyant, Mannequin Pussy – Patience, Greet Death – New Hell, Wyatt Smith – Dead, Jessica Pratt – Quiet Signs, MP – 5284, Duster – Capsule Losing Contact, Flying Lotus – Flamagra
Best shows played/attended in 2019
Best shows played: New Friends Fest 2019 – Toronto, Purple House – Berkeley, All of our shows with our friends
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
Bay Area screamo scene isnât like it was before but thatâs neither good or bad. California screamo has only a handful of bands but theyâre all good and have the potential to ignite a new scene and bring back old screamo fans.
Plans for 2020
Release the record. Tour. Write for the second album.
MALEVICH – “Throne of Decadence”
Behind the track
Throne of Decadence is one of the first songs we wrote for Our Hollow. While other tracks are more dynamic, this song is focused on aggression with a few moving parts to push it forward, leaving listeners only a second to breathe. Lyrically it’s about how, at least in our American culture that we can speak to, people are obsessed with ideas of ‘freedom’ and ‘liberty’ yet when you actually look at our political system we are quite authoritarian. We have the highest prison population in human history, we spend so much of our time at jobs that we’re often too exhausted to do much else, and we have politicians and businesses trying to control what people do with their bodies, just to name a few instances of a lack of true autonomy at the most basic levels.
Best records heard in 2019
Instead of listing our absolute favorite records we decided to include some artists, mostly friends, who we feel deserve more recognition for their amazing work.
Nuvolascura – self/titled – There’s a lot of amazing screamo bands putting out records but this one stands out for us with its brilliant guitar work, often somehow finding melody in dissonance, among some of the most dynamic emo violence in the current scene.
Crowhurst – III – This band consists of some great friends of ours in Philadelphia. The music is composed by Jay who combines post-punk, noise, and black metal in a really unnerving fashion.
Teeth – The Curse of Entropy – We played with these guys in LA and they create some of the best chaotic death metal in the US right now. Fans of bands like Ulcerate should eat this up.
Unfurl – The Waking Void –Â This is another band that blends genres in a way that sounds perfectly natural. There’s no awkwardness here as they shift around from swirling black/death metal to mathcore to ambient and the result is an enthralling post-everything adventure.
Haunter – Sacramental Death Qualia – Our friends from Texas happened to put out one of the best metal albums of the year. The brilliant musicianship churns twisted riffs into almost prog territory.
Jenny Hval – The Practice of Love – We didn’t want to only give you heavy records so we decided on Jenny Hval’s latest example of her avant-pop genius to wrap up this short list. Her vocals glide through airy electronic beats alongside her collaborators as she continues to explore the concepts of love, sex, gender, and more as she has throughout her career.
Best shows played/attended in 2019
2019 marked our first time hitting the western portion of the US (and Vancouver!) and then the first tour in support of Our Hollow in the Midwest in November so there’s a lot to choose from. In Portland, Oregon we played a small house that was packed with people filled with energy (and dripping sweat) and it was also where we met/saw Closet Witch for the first time. People were sitting on the stove to watch bands! Another amazing one was in Chicago recently (also where we met up with Closet Witch to do five days together). It was another DIY space, this time in a basement, that was at capacity, filled with friends, and every band was incredible. Finally, we had our album release show in Atlanta that was truly heartwarming. A lot of people came out to support us, welcome us home from tour, and just made us feel all the things that make creating music/art worthwhile.
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
It’s almost weird how tight we are with the “screamo scene” because we’re screamo-adjacent at best. It is simply one of the most dedicated and supportive music scenes that we’ve experienced and we are extremely thankful to all of the killer bands we’ve gotten to play with from Loma Prieta to playing ZBR Fest to the battle set we did with Senza as well as everyone who has booked shows with us. Locally, Slow Fire Pistol is one of the best bands in Atlanta right now. They’ve been friends of ours for as long as we’ve been involved in DIY music to the extent that we feel we’ve grown up together.
Plans for 2020
We plan to tour a lot in 2020. We already have plans to hit Florida in February, the East Coast in the Spring, and we hope to finally tour Europe later if all of the pieces come together. In the meantime we will keep writing and plan on being a part of a split to come out later in the year.
MINARET – ĐŃĐžĐŒĐžĐœĐ°Đ»ŃĐœĐ°Ń Đ ĐŸŃŃĐžŃ
Behind the track
The song is a narrative about a cutthroat crime that was inherent for every post-USSR country in the 90th that could be called the most bitter period of CIS history. This song is also about protectors of that crime. – Sergey (Goroshek*, GĆrschok)
I would like to add that one of the best examples of that time is the film Zhmurki (Blind Man’s Bluff). If youâll find it you can see the little bit hyperbolized form of the state of affairs that was representative to the 90th in CIS countries.
This track has had a codename “ĐĐŸŃĐž” (Moshhi) which means physical remains of saints (relics) in Russian but here is a wordplay with the word “ĐĐŸŃŃ” (“Moshh”) which means “might”. Both words are singular and don’t have a plural form, but the ending “Đž”, you could see in “ĐĐŸŃĐž”, usually means the plural form of a word. Summarizing the above, we have the codename meant the might in plural).
All in all, I love to play it. – Oleg
It has the same name as documentary TV show – Timur
Best records heard in 2019
Ghost Mice – Wake up and fight, Apes of the State – Pipe Dream, All In Vain – Waning Light, Paper Wings – Sisyphus, We The Heathens – Approaching Thunder, ĐĐ°ŃŃŃĐșĐ° – ĐĐ°ĐœĐžŃ ĐžĐŽĐ°, La Casa Fantom – Burning Eyes, ĐĐŸŃŃĐž ĐŃĐœĐ¶Đ”Ń – Đ, ĐŃŃŃ, Storm of Sedition â Howl of Dynamite, Fukpig – More Bastards, Wolfbrigade – The Enemy: Reality, Grima – Will Of The Primordial, ĐĐ”ŃĐșĐŸĐœĐ”ŃĐœĐ°Ń Đ·ĐžĐŒĐ° – Đ„ĐžŃŃ, Cross Bringer – Supplication/Sacrament, Mgla – Age of Excuse, Batushka – Hospodi, SaĂĄadon â ĐŒŃĐ”ŃŃ, Arboricidio – What We Leave Behind, Autarch – The Light Escaping, Terra Mater – Holocene Extinction Parts I & II, fluoride – disentanglement, Chiens – Trendy Junky, Dead To A Dying World – Elegy, that’s all, tired to remember:) – Sergey
Krallice – Wolf EP, Oh sees – face stabber, Gosudar/Carcinoid- Split LP, ĐĐ°Đ»ĐŸ – demo
ĐĐ°Đ»ĐŸ – ĐČ ŃŃĐžŃĐ”, Vendel – Dirge, Đ„Đ°ŃĐż – ĐșлДŃĐșĐ°/бДŃĐżĐŸĐŒĐŸŃĐœŃĐč. – Timur
Deus Mortem – Kosmocide, fluoride – disentanglement, The Cold Dicks – ĐŃĐŸ ĐœŃĐ¶ĐœĐŸ ĐœĐ” ĐŒŃŃŃĐČŃĐŒ, Amygdala – Our Voices Will Soar Forever, Mount/Ant feat. ĐĄĐČĐžĐœĐ°Ń ĐłŃŃŃŃŃ – ĐĐžŃĐ°, Abysmal Lord – Exaltation Of The Infernal Cabal, and three way split of tachesnoiredelasclerotica, ŃĐ”ĐČĐœĐŸŃŃŃ, kissĂsis. – Oleg
I was very busy to listen to new releases and visit shows I donât play because of playing with Nikolai Noskov. My answer was written not by myself) – Dudnik
Best shows played/attended in 2019
08.27 was a playful act in an auto-garage complex with Slavehand, Boner, MxAxMxA, ĐŃŃĐŸĐŽĐŸĐș and Shot Twice. We arrived at the show with Goroshinka by a tandem bicycle driving in funny suits. Danced, laughed, twisted at the show. It was the agile, good gig.
11.23 I and Goroshinka were promoters of our first and last event in 2019 that was called ĐĐœĐž ĐĐŸŃĐŸŃĐșĐŸĐČ (Dni Goroshkov). It was a celebration of our autumn birthdays and spent as a show with Minaret, ĐŻŃĐœĐŸŃŃŃ (ex ĐŁĐ»ŃбаĐčŃŃ ĐĐ”ŃŃŃ), ĐĐ°Đ»ĐŸ, Weieiei, and Dierection. – Sergey
Michael Rother, Ducktails, Vatican Shadow – Timur
It was great to play at the fest “Emo Orchard” that was held in February in Saint Petersburg. Emo Orchard is the fest where lots of different emo, screamo and so on bands play together. It spends both in Moscow and Saint Petersburg and helds by the members of Call Us ĐĐŸĐ»ĐŸŃ. I think it is one of a kind fest in Russia specializing in emotional music.
I have not visited a lot of shows this year but I liked so much YacĂžpsĂŠ’s show in Moscow. – Oleg
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
I have not watched for this scene this year. – Sergey
“Scene” consists of young amateurs playing post-rock with harsh vocals – Timur
From time to time I promote some “screamo” shows in Moscow and made the observation that the interest for such music is declining in the last several years. Someone can say that the emo revival era is now in Russia but I don’t see new people at screamo/emoviolence shows at all. It’s pretty separated scenes for now. As for me, the current emo scene is much more interested in self-promotion.
There are some facts that I know about the scene. ĐŁĐ»ŃбаĐčŃŃ ĐČĐ”ŃŃŃ started to play again with their new name ĐŻŃĐœĐŸŃŃŃ. Đ Đ”ĐČĐœĐŸŃŃŃ decided to disband it is a very annoying loss for the scene. FrontiĂšre, Keava, JautÄjums, Every Time She Lied, tachesnoiredelasclerotica released very good records. The band “Tho'” is going to release a kickass record in a short time.
Folks go to shows, bands play, everything is pretty ok. It would be great to see new bands from different cities, not only from Moscow and Saint Petersburg. The scene mostly concentrated in these cities and it is annoying that most active persons playing in local bands go from their native cities to Moscow or SPb and as a result, one finds a scene dying in a citie.
But we have it is what it is. – Oleg
Plans for 2020
It would be great to start a recording of new tracks and remix all old tracks and make a reissue of them and publish a discography with a new sound. – Sergey
We have some plans to finish a recording and release our first LP will contain only one track with length near 20-25 minutes. We are working on a demo version of the LP for now. It will be our longest release ever. We also searching labels that would be interested in releasing this LP.
In addition to the above David Norman has offered to release our discography, so here is another piece of news for you. We’re working on a mix to send it for remastering. You will be able to hear both previously recorded tracks and their demo versions of different years. – Oleg
I also want to spend the night at the Gorshokâs grave in summer. – Sergey
Yeah. Itâs a great idea to visit Gorshokâs grave in 2020. – Oleg
* Sergey feels like green peas (Gorohek, ĐłĐŸŃĐŸŃĐ”Đș) and lives in his imaginary world conceiving someone as a creature from its little world. Because of this fact, Sergeyâs girlfriend appears in this text as Goroshinka what could be translated as little grain of pea.
Sergey also considers that the soul of ĐĐŸŃŃĐŸĐș was entered his body. ĐĐŸŃŃĐŸĐș (Gorshok) was a vocalist of Russian horror punk band ĐĐŸŃĐŸĐ»Ń Đž ĐšŃŃ (The King and the Jester). hehe. Itâs a joke of a third party gained as a result of wordplay between ĐłĐŸŃĐŸŃĐ”Đș and ĐłĐŸŃŃĐŸĐș words. Sergey is just a fan of ĐĐŸŃĐŸĐ»Ń Đž ĐšŃŃ and has soubriquet ĐĐŸŃĐŸŃĐ”Đș and nothing more.
MODERN RIFLES – “United Lead”
Behind the track
This song was one of the first songs we wrote. I was really into The band Engine Down at the time, which had influence my parts for this song. The lyrics are about the inner turmoil I had going on at the time about the passing of my mother. I had some demons I was fighting and wasnât winning. – the singer, Dan.
The drum intro was inspired by Don Caballero 3, albeit simpler. Often, when played live we ended the song with an extended and Black Sabbath Outro. – drummer, Brian Garbark.
Best records heard in 2019
Shades McCool and the Bold Flavors: Pretty Good Guy – the singer, Dan.
Brutus-Nest, Cursive – drummer, Brian Garbark.
Best shows played/attended in 2019
My favorite show that Modern Rifles had played would have to be the show at the Smiling Moose in Pittsburgh, PA. I introduced the band and that we hailed from San Diego. There was very quick retort from the crowd chanting âSteelers!!!â Over and over from everyone in the bar. It went on for a couple of minutes. It was intense and I thought that bodily harm would come to the band and myself. We all looked at each other and played the set after an implicit fuck it nod. Pittsburgh loves itâs sports, beer, and music. We had a great time. – the singer, Dan.
Idles, Youth of Today, Antibalas, Agnostic Front, Bars of Gold – drummer, Brian Garbark.
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
Modern Rifles hasnât played a show since around 2013? The scene in San Diego or out of town has not been a factor. – the singer, Dan.
Plans for 2020
Jonny and I (Dan) are in a band called Snakes and Crows and we plan on recording some music in the summer of 2020 and playing shows. – the singer, Dan.
Fugazi reunion – drummer, Brian Garbark.
NERVER – “Imminent Death Syndrome”
Behind the track
Imminent Death Syndrome is a reference to HBO’s “Mr. Show.” A lot of our song titles end up being television and movie references, mostly because that’s the only way we’ll remember them. It’s definitely one of our favorite tracks off Believer’s Hit and it seems that other folks who dig the record feel the same.
As far as lyrical themes or anything like that? It’s loosely about revenge. More specifically, the frustration of wanting revenge you know is unattainable.
Best records heard in 2019
Our friends in the band PINKO just released a full length called “You & You” that is a true ass beater. Also our buds in Frail Body put out what is easily the best screamo album this year. But a new band that we just found out about not long ago and have been able to play a couple of shows with is Bulls from north Texas. Holy shit their record is so good.
Best shows played/attended in 2019
All of the shows from our tour with Bummer a couple months ago. The best of which were in Texas with Exhalants, Bulls, and Big Hand//Big Knife.
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
It’s awesome to travel around and see what the scene is like in other cities where that kind of thing is really happening. In Kansas City, there seems to be a tight knit group of folks who are all into that kind of music. But in Columbia, where two out of three of us live, the “screamo” scene is pretty much nonexistent.
Plans for 2020
In January we are going on tour with a band called Dead Hour Noise from Lansing, Michigan. We met them on tour a couple years ago. They played our show in Ann Arbor and blew us away. Immediately it was easy to see that they’re about all the same shit we are. I think their new full length drops January 10th if I’m not mistaken.
After that we’ll probably try to write some more songs. I don’t know if they’ll be on a split, an EP, or if we’ll just try to do another full length. But we definitely want to keep booking tours for later in the year. Hopefully in states where weed is legal.
NEW FORMS – “Transitions in Meta”
Behind the track
Transitions In Meta lyrically is about wallowing in regret. Itâs an explosive and cathartic musical onslaught that we thought paired with the lyrical content perfectly, while also being a great example of where we wanted to take this project sonically.
Best records heard in 2019
We all had drastically different AOTY lists this year, but we all collectively loved the Nuvolascura record. Some other memorable ones were the Anamanaguchi release, the new Charli XCX album, and the Brutus and Catarina Barbieri records.
Best shows played/attended in 2019
Weâve actually only played 4 shows together so far, and I think we all agree each one has been better than the last. Everyone whoâs hosted us or come to watch us play has been so kind and uplifting, and our chemistry together just keeps growing. We go to a lot of shows together, some of our favorites were Converge, Jeromes Dream, Toe, and the Have Heart reunion.
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
The screams scene has been so welcoming to us. Weâve all been in bands before and have since spent some time not grinding, so when we started this we felt like we had ostracized ourselves from the scene and werenât sure how to break back in. But it seems like itâs the perfect time to be in a scream band because tons of new people are being introduced to the genre every day. I think itâll always be a niche genre mainly reserved for punk basements, but itâs really cool to see how much interest some of the genreâs heavy hitters have been garnering from outside our little scene.
Plans for 2020
2020 is going to be nonstop. Weâre hibernating a bit right now so we can finish writing a bunch of new songs weâve been piecing together. Early in the year weâre going to hit the studio and hopefully record enough for two new releases. Also lots of shows, once recording is all set we want to play everywhere we can!
NUVOLASCURA – “zen depression”
Behind the track
Itâs a hot track. Itâs from our first record and we wrote it without the intention of playing it live but now we play it live almost every set. -daniel
I wrote it about my cousin who died tragically at a young age. -erica
Best records heard in 2019
This was an exceptionally good year for screamo records. Some of our favorites were Hundreds of AU, lord snow, chamber, joliette, soul glo and elle.
Best shows played/attended in 2019
ZBR fest and the tour up to Vancouver was amazing! We also loved playing at trash house in San Jose with hawak and wander.
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
We felt a lot of love in Vancouver and itâs really nice to have supportive friends around the country.
Plans for 2020
Weâre doing a Europe tour around miss the stars fest in the spring with our friends in Jolietteâvery stoked for that. We just finished recording a new record that will hopefully be out by spring. Weâre playing a couple shows with portrayal of guilt in January and infant island this summer. weâre also playing new friends fest in Toronto this August!
OLAM – “Wounds”
Behind the track
Wounds represents chaos, fear, hopelessness, and the survival instinct through a hyper-vigilant lens. Itâs the initial âwoundâ of trauma. But as chaotic as itâs intended to be/feel, itâs also concise. It knows where itâs been, why itâs here, and where itâs going. Writing a song like this in retrospect allowed for further personal processing. The album doesnât happen without this song. There wouldnât be 9 other tracks without it. I always enjoy playing this one live. It has a great live energy for me.
Best records heard in 2019
State Faults – Clairvoyant / Frail Body – A Brief Memoriam / Nuvolascura – Nuvolascura / Glassing – Spotted Horse / Norma Jean – All Hail
Best shows played/attended in 2019
Our album release show in May of this year was full of great moments and memories. A close second would be opening the show for The Number Twelve Looks Like You / God Mother / Pound. 3 monster bands that Iâm a big fan of. That one was super memorable having showed up and played the full set with Emmett Ceglia (Detach The Island / Semaphore) on drums who was touring w/ God Mother. Played the set with zero rehearsal beforehand. Literally showed up, set up, and went for it. He destroyed in the best way. That was a fun one.
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
Locally, the âscreamoâ mathy scene is a bit slim. I hope that changes is the near future. But if you zoom out a bit and look at places like Chicago (which is relatively close by) youâll find some great bands making incredible music. Taking an even broader view of the scene, itâs been incredibly supportive and encouraging. Itâs always amazing to me to receive such kind words from people across the world who are listening to the album. Wild. There seems to be a genuineness within the majority of this community that I truly appreciate.
Plans for 2020
2020 is coming into focus more and more. Been working on the live show quite a bit. Planning to continue supporting I Will Guide Thy Hand. Branching out a bit more with touring is high on the list. Also, Iâve been writing (and recording demos) lots of new material for the next album(s). Thatâs coming along nicely and am really excited to get to share it with everyone.
POTENCE – “Aimer, Mourir Jeune Et Faire Un Beau Cadavre”
Behind the track
This song is a revisitation of a song called “Aimer, Mourir Jeune Et Faire Un Beau Cadavre” that first appeared on our demo tape. It was re-recorded at Steph Tanker’s DISVLAR studio to celebrate Henri’s arrival in the band. Lyrically speaking, the song deals with the evaluation of someone’s deeds, actions while facing death and the meaninglessness of existence. Despit your success or any selfishness, you will always end up on your deathbed, powerless and full of shit, surrounded by people you donât really love, by things you donât need, finally equal with the rest of the world! Quite a sad song actually…
Best records heard in 2019
-Drip Of Lies – Hell
-Storm{O} – Finis Terrae
-DeletĂ€r – ST LP
-Napalm Death – Scum (hahaha)
-Cemented Minds – Colostrum
-Storm Of Sedition – Howl Of Dynamite
-Weldone Dumboyz – TombĂ© dans l’escalier
-Blood Incantation – Hidden History Of Mankind
-Lysistrata – Breathe In/Out
-Gattaca – Monumenty SelhĂĄnĂ
Best shows played/attended in 2019
The shows attended:
-Jeanne, every single time we had the chance to play with them on tour this year!
-Hot Snakes @ La Rodia, Besançon, France
-Whoresnation’s 10th Birthday Party @ Les Passagers du Zinc, Besançon, France
-Antinational Fest XII, @ Le Roulier, Le Val d’Ajol, France
-Lovve @ Dirty Edge Fest, Tours, FranceThe shows played:
-The last mini-tour we did with Yurodivy, December 2019
-with Jeanne, Pacino and Vole@ SF Mini in Olomouc, May 11th, 2019
-with Warfuck, DeletÀr, Jeanne and Nine Eleven @ Raymond Bar in Clermont Ferrand, May 3rd, 2019
-with Chaviré @ Les Passagers du Zinc, Besançon, France, November 15th, 2019
-with Youth Avoiders and Fake Off @ Le Rigoletto, Paris, France, February 10th, 2019
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
2019 allowed us to make and to meet again old and new friends in the scene, which is always something that inspires and makes you wanna continue do things. It was a very busy year on a personal level, but also musically speaking! Our second LP came out, we had the chance to tour with our beloved friends from Jeanne once again, we recorded some songs, we participated in at least 3 different comps (BARRICADES, vol.1 by PAPIERS NOIRS, The Ultimate ScrEaMO Mixtape 2019 and this Zampler) and we set up roughly 20 DIY shows in the Besançon-Area.
Plans for 2020
For the moment, we’re waiting for the release of a massive 5-ways split with our friends from Jeanne, Les 2 Minutes de la Haine, Yarostan and Tropical Ice Land, out soon on Zegema Beach Records. Otherwise, we are writing new songs for a third LP or something else, already four are done. We will also plan a tour for the end of spring in Europe and continue to set up DIY shows in Besançon. Basically, we’ll try to be as much involved and devoted as possible to the DIY-Scene ?? Punk is Love
SNAG – “Foam Cup Pt. II”
Behind the track
Foam Cup Part 2 is about watching a box of foam cups fall out of the back of a truck and getting blasted open on the freeway, polluting the road and waterways, and not being able to really do anything about it. While Foam Cup Part 1 (a song on our split with Social Caterpillar) focuses on economic tensions between the rich and poor, where the foam cup is the dirty vessel through which one is trying to collect charity to sustain a hope of obtaining something, Foam cup part 2 focuses on the vessels themselves, describing a bunch of these vessels floating away, like hope lost, a waste that has littered the land and our very bloodstreams. Possibly, there is another way, another vessel to obtain hope that isn’t the unsustainable foam cup. Isn’t it shocking that those are still being produced?
Best records heard in 2019
Big Brave “A gaze Among Them”,
Frail Body “A Brief memoriam”,
Social Caterpillar “start a fire that sings you a song”
Show Me The Body “Dogwhistle”
Nuvolascura “Nuvolascura”
Ghost Spirit “Hourglass”
Coma Regalia “Vau Faelgoh”
Lord Snow “Shadowmarks”
Nerver “Believer’s Hit”
Amygdala “Our voices will soar forever”
Best shows played/attended in 2019
– We played a basement show with Portrayal of Guilt, Stay Asleep, Bird Law, and Lifes
– We played a couple of our friends’ record release shows: Garden Home and Social Caterpillar and both were extremely fun
– We played with For Your Health and Shin Guard with our buddies in Gangstalker back in July.
– We went down to Chicago to play Empty Bliss with Crowning, Infant Island, and Droughts.
– We got to play with Jerome’s Dream when they came through and they were sweet as pie.
– Our record release show was magical and warmed our hearts.
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
There are still a select few house venues left that harbor the screamo scene, but a lot fewer than in the past. Mostly dive bars are where I see screamo shows now, and there are a lot fewer traditional screamo bands out there locally than in years past. However, many of the punks have taken to various genre blending and appreciation for new styles making great mixed genre bills for shows. The DIY scene in Milwaukee, despite not having a lot of house venues anymore, is still thriving. X-Ray Arcade in nearby Cudahy is a good all ages addition, and the law just changed for all ages shows in Milwaukee so there will be more happening soon. I think Milwaukee as a whole is an underrated city.
Plans for 2020
For 2020 we hope to write a lot more songs that we hope to use on another split or two and another ep. We are currently writing and finishing up new songs for the new year.
STORM{O} – “Metropoli”
Behind the track
Metropoli is a song we really love, it took a little bit to fix it since itâs kinda different from what weâve always written but it eventually became one of my favorite song of the record. Through the whole album we face the theme of the relationship between the human beings and the cities as if they were two creatures in a symbiotic connection, giving form to each others; in this song the idea mentioned above probably emerge even more explicitly.
Best records heard in 2019
I cannot really make a chart honestly, I loved a lot of records this year. Probably Show Me The Bodyâs âDog Whistleâ, âLuz Devoraâ from Joliette, Chelsea Wolfeâs âBirth of Violenceâ and âMagdalenâ from FKA Twings are the albums Iâve listened most lately.
Best shows played/attended in 2019
As I was saying, Iâm not really good at classifying things. Weâve been lucky enough to play a lot of great shows with a lot of amazing bands and to visit many places we were never been before. It has been a super cool year and we feel thankful for that.
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
Italy is a small country and there arenât a lot of people playing this kind of music, that means that after a couple of years you got to know personally pretty much everybody and thatâs amazing it feels like a big network of friends and itâs very improbable to got to play a show without even a single person you already know. I think that this is basically what underground music is; nice people helping each other, in a welcoming and safe environment.
Plans for 2020
Weâre working on new tours, especially outside Europe and outside our country since the first run of shows after the release of the new album has interested primarily Italy. Weâre even trying to write new music so, basically, weâre keeping on doing what weâve always did.
OUR FUTURE IS AN ABSOLUTE SHADOW – “Sweep Tornado Forward”
Behind the track
This was the first song we finished writing over the internet of 9. It’s probably about revolution.
Best records heard in 2019
I can’t speak for the band but my top few are probably A Paramount A Love Supreme, Senza, Nuvolascura, Vi Som Alskade Varandra Sa Mycket, Somn, .gif from god and Glassing.
Best shows played/attended in 2019
We have played no shows. I saw Amygdala play in Vancouver and they crushed it. Plus ZBR Fest was heaven.
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
It’s weird/awesome to see screamo grow. I just hope it keeps the inclusiveness, positivity, unpretentiousness and rebelliousness.
Plans for 2020
Probably a split and an EP with those 9 songs. Then an LP? Who knows.
VI SOM ĂLSKADE VARANDRA SĂ MYCKET – “Sioux City”
Behind the track
This is Arvid answering from VSĂVSM.
This is one of the shortest songs we ever recorded and I would say it probably is the most punk/hardcore you will ever hear us. When Johan came with the song we all thought it was great and I do think it balances the album well.
I lived in Sioux City, Iowa, when I was a teenager, as an exchange student. I was already in the punk and hardcore scene by then and got to know some people in the local scene. It was about this time I got more into screamo and it was an important time of my life.
Initially, I asked my friends Travis (Song of Zarathustra) and Rusty (Dispensing of False Halos) from Sioux City to be on this track and they both agreed. Unfortunately, the timing was a bit off and it fell through.
Anyway, I had already started writing the lyrics and I kept with the concept. It basically deals with small town anxiety and finding a way to break free from your beginnings. Half of the song was written in English before I realized I would end up doing it myself. It would have been great to have both of those guys on it, but I am also really happy with the way it turned out.
Best records heard in 2019
I havenât been consuming that much new music, but a few records stood out.
I think Cult of Luna released a beautiful record with A Dawn to Fear. They are just a fantastic band. We had Magnus from CoL master our record and he did a great job.
Tool is one of my favorite bands and I have waited a long time for their new record Fear Inoculum. I havenât really gotten into it yet but I know it is going to grow on me.
As far as screamo goes it is hard not to mention State Faults and their wonderful record Clairvoyant. I havenât paid attention to those guys before but to me that record really stands out in our genre.
Our friends, Shirokuma, Nionde PlĂ„gan, Joliette, Mystery Language, Bruecken, Nya StĂ€der, Coma Regalia and Baby also released some great stuff. I would recommend anything from our labels Zegema Beach and Moment of Collapse. I probably forgot some stuff too. Of course you should check out our other project Jazzbrunch that released a 7â this year.
Best shows played/attended in 2019
We havenât played that many shows this year, but we always like playing Miss The Stars, so that one stands out for us. Most of the guys in the band have kids, so it is hard for us to get out.
We did a few shows with Gabriel (No Omega, Careless, Mystery Language, Speedway, the list goes on) on drums and Jacob (The Hope and the Failure) on bass and it was a lot of fun and went really well. Thanks to Gabriel and Jacob for stepping in and for being great.
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
I love the punk and hardcore scene, but most of our lives happen outside of it. We are very lucky to meet new friends through music. I grew up going to shows and it played such an important part in my live. When I see kids getting into the scene and finding themselves it makes me happy. A thriving counter-culture gives me hope for the future. We love being a part of this community.
Plans for 2020
We donât have any grand plans for 2020. I am getting my first kid in January, so I am really excited about that.
As far as the band goes, that makes it even harder for us to tour. We are unfortunately not playing Miss The Stars next year, but would love to come play some other festivals in Europe. Please get in touch if you have any suggestions. We really like playing for a diverse audience, so it doesnât have to be an all punk or hardcore festival.
Getting such a good response for our record, we inspired to make more music. We will see what happens next year.
Thanks for all of the support and a happy new year!
>> Learn more in our recent interview with VI SOM ĂLSKADE VARANDRA SĂ MYCKETat this location!
A PARAMOUNT, A LOVE SUPREME – “i am young without wilderness”
Behind the track
âI am young without wildernessâ paints a picture of what the Earth will look like if we do not cease the constant extraction of resources and destruction of the environment that our modern lives operate on. It is a protest to the desire to conquer and control the natural world.
Best records heard in 2019
There was so much good new music released in 2019. A few of our favorites, in no particular order:
Nuvolascura â S/T
For Your Health & Shin Guard â Death of Spring split
Soul Glo â The Nigga In Me Is Me
Senza â Even A Worm Will Turn
Malevich â Our Hollow
Binary â Say Your Prayers No One Cares
.gif from god â Approximation Of A Human
Frail Body â A Brief Memoriam
lowmeninyellowcoats â S/T
Merger â S/T
Chamber â Ripping/Pulling/Tearing
Gatecreeper â Deserted
Best shows played/attended in 2019
Everyone in a paramount, a love supreme goes to local shows pretty often, and there were so many good shows that we went to this year – too many to list! Most recently, we saw Ostraca, Supine, Songai, Infant Island, and Law Jaw in Philly. It was a sick show.
Our favorite show playing as a paramount, a love supreme was probably playing with Terry Green, Supine, Pique, and King Slender in Philly this past summer.
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
The screamo scene in Philly has been incredibly welcoming to us, and we have played some of our best shows in Philly. Our local music scene doesnât have many other âscreamoâ acts, but everyone at home has been incredibly receptive and supportive of our first few releases.
Delaware has a relatively popular hardcore scene centered around the Wilmington/Newark area which we are trying to get more involved in.
Plans for 2020
We are working on a full-length LP that will hopefully be out in late 2020, and we plan to tour before and after that release.
IEATHEARTATTACKS – “Deadpool”
Behind the track
So Deadpool is a track off our EP âHello Cole Porterâ. We tracked that EP in a community house that flooded the next day, because the pipes in the building froze. Kind of nice, only Canadians can actually understand that part of it. Itâs about our flaws, frustration and some fucking anger, man. People are full of shit, but so are we, it just gets to a certain point, you know? Itâs energetic, frantic and really kind of like our first few years of writing.
Best records heard in 2019
 Itâs hard not to mention DIE A LEGENDâs long awaited record âWinningâ for 2019. Great record, fantastic band, insanely good music and some seriously great guys. People from Northern Norway are famous for being loud and forthcoming, and these guys are both those things in a thoroughly wholesome fashion. Bonus points for bonding over tracks from the legend of Zelda.
Oh! Yeah, Sibiir released âRopesâ – amazing.
SĂąver did âThey Came With Sunlightâ.
Best shows played/attended in 2019
We normally prefer tiny shows in peoples living rooms, but this year we supported some of Norwayâs finest hardcore bands. Sigh & Explode was fantastic, both playing and (finally!) seeing. DIE A LEGEND, amazing, but we shouldnât forget our show at Harpefoss Hardcore Festival. No expectations filling in for a band who couldnât play, Emil stage diving, fantastic FoH, lots of hairy bearded people. Some bigger shows this year, and they were good.
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
Screaming is vibing, my friend. Thereâs been a sort of nostalgic revival here in Norway, but not at the expense of other bands. People are coming to shows, bands are putting out good stuff, and itâs hard to be too sulky. Bad times for writing lyrics.
Plans for 2020
2020 is the year of our second LP, if nothing goes horribly wrong. Weâre finishing up a few more songs, putting the pieces together for release, and then heading over to CANADA MAN for business AND pleasure! Very excited to go, very excited about bringing some quality hardcore to show to people, and weâre feeling good about what weâre making and how weâre playing.
If thatâs the works, thanks for giving us some time to talk about us and our scene. We appreciate it, and anyone who hasnât already should look into the Norwegian hardcore punk scene.
YURODIVY – “Citizen”
Behind the track
The track “citizen” is the third track of the album “Tell me when the party’s over” which will be released on February 18th. It is about the notion of citizenship today, which in my opinion no longer makes much sense, apart from being imprisoned in a schema, belonging to a reality that we have not chosen, but that is being imposed on us.
Best records heard in 2019
I only speak for myself (JĂ©rĂ©my), I don’t know the opinion of the other members of the band. But as far as I’m concerned I would say “A Dawn to fear” by Cult of Luna, the latest Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Ghosteen, the latest Lingua Ignota “Caligula” and the album “Silent” by the Italians from Infall, with whom we played this year, and I discovered their records like that, the record wasn’t released in 2019, but it was really a great discovery for me this year.
Best shows played/attended in 2019
I don’t really want to say that one show was better than another, because it depends on too many things, and it’s really too subjective. All I would say is that this year we were very lucky to play in a lot of cool places, almost every place we played was great, and we were very well received.
What has the “screamo” scene been like for y’all in 2019, both locally and out of town?
I don’t know if I can really answer that question, because I don’t know everything that’s going on. But I have the impression that some projects are being set up at the moment, and that others are getting a bit bigger. In any case I hope that the screamo scene will be more visible in 2020 than in 2019. In any case it is clearly an objective for next year, for our label “Itawak records” to help the development of this scene as much as possible. Whether it’s by producing some bands, or not organizing the next Itawak fest.
Plans for 2020
Releasing that damn record haha! On which we’ve been working for a long time, a lot of dates are planned in Europe for the first half of 2020, and a lot of surprises will be released soon…
CHIVALĂ – “Materia e memoria”
Behind the track
“Materia e memoria” is a highly emotive track. It deals with isolation and time passing: it has been composed in a moment in our life when everything was changing really fast and some choices had to be made to become fully adult. It is a bitter look towards everything we have left behind, filled with fear for an unknown future.
Best records heard in 2019 / some thoughts on the “screamo” scene
2019 has been a great year for us: we had the opportunity to perform some shows outside of Italy for the first time and we met a lot of people from different places. With some of them we still keep in touch, even though we live far away. That’s the deal with music: it unites people and makes you see the world from a different perspective. An example of this is our friendship with the guys from AmitiĂ©, who in December have released “Don’t//Try//Let//Die”, which includes some really heartfelt tracks. In addition to this, we really appreciated the self titled LP from Overo, “Mission Priorities On Launch” from Hundreds of AU.
Best shows played/attended in 2019
In May 11th we played at Miss The Stars Fest in Berlin: there were a lot of great bands and passionate people, and it was a lot of fun. The day after we played in Warsaw at Ultimate Screamo Fest and it was crazy as well. This summer we toured Italy with Lytic: we shared the stage with them in some insane shows in Bologna, Rome and Milan.
Plans for 2020
We are working on a couple of split releases to be announced in the second half of 2020. We would like to play as many shows as possible: the best would be a small tour in the US or across Europe.
