Since its inception in 2013, the screamo / post hardcore / experimental hardcore label Zegema Beach Records has stated itself as a one man initiative more than a traditional imprint, and thus it has also become known for putting out a lot of compilation albums, Starship Troopers themed samplers dubbed “Zamplers”. Luckily, due to the impeccable taste of its owner Dave Norman, every one has been more innovative, adventurous and just plain impressive than the last. The “Ruin Your Life” Zampler #18 is no exception to this rule. It gathers 37 (!) bands, 28 of which we have managed to get on board and ask about what’s up in their camps.
Bands featured below: ANNA SAGE, ATAMEO, BRAHM, BURIAL ETIQUETTE, CAMPBELL TRIO, CARA NEIR, DEMERSAL, ENCARSIA, FALL OF MESSIAH, HAWAK, HEEL TURN, HUNDREDS OF AU, KARLOFF, LETTERBOMBS, LOWER AUTOMATION, NEW GRASS, OFF MINOR (be sure to check out our feature HERE), ORPHAN DONOR, OUR FUTURE IS AN ABSOLUTE SHADOW, PIET ONTHEL, PIRI REIS, PORTREIT, RIVERSLEEM, REVERIE, RUHAEDA, TO FORGET, TRANSISTOR TRANSISTOR, VIA FONDO.
💬 Be sure to check out our previous mega features and multi-artist interviews in support of the previous installments of Zampler compilations: Zampler 8, Zampler 12, Zampler 14, Zampler 15.
The label sees Zegema Beach searching for new artists and compiling tracks from every corner of the globe and we simply can’t argue with this lovely and truly DIY concept. Today, we’re stoked o give you the full stream of the new Zampler below!
If you’re having troubles with the streaming below, please check back later today.
“This art was done by my friend Tom McCone from Raining.” – comments Zegema Beach Records founder Dave Norman.
54 copies of the Zampler were made., 20 of those being on sparkle paper.
“I came to the conclusion that Zampler #20 will be the final physical zampler and after that it’ll just be digital as 1) cds are becoming more expensive and 2) it’s time consuming and kinda wasteful.” – explains Dave. “We just give these away with orders starting January 1st, 2022 until they’re gone.”
The label has had a prolific output over the years and it still has a good hand for great bands. “There are some new bands on this zampler that haven’t released with ZBR before, but we’ve got something like 15 releases in the pipeline.” – teases Dave.
“Definitely check out the lesser known bands such as Atameo, Anna Sage, Encarsia, Campbell Trio, Riversleem, and Reverie, but honestly all the tracks rock. Of the 37, 9 of the songs are brand spanking new. And yes, we are releasing a Hayworth 7″.
Scroll down to see the first-hand commentaries by our features bands:
ANNA SAGE
After having released 2 EPs, Anna Sage will release their first album « Anna Sage » this year. For this album, we decided to work with Francis Caste at the Studio Sainte Marthe in Paris, France once again, this producer is a beast. We look forward to share with all of you this new record, between post-metal, chaotic and post-hardcore, more intense and fierce than ever.
Above all, we can’t wait to hit the stage we miss a lot since the beginning of this pandemic. “The Deadly Mess Of A Dying Head” is one of our favorite songs on the album, furious and aggressive, with an unhealthy melodic part, it’s definitely a live one !
ATAMEO
This song is kinda about bullying, about someone using and humiliating you when other people are present as well, and it makes them feel good about themselves. The title is a reference to Undertale. This is the second track off our upcoming debut 12 inch, “it sure is sad to hope for the best while expecting the worst”. We are super excited to finally release this album, as we’ve been working on it for over 2 years, recording, shelving it, and re-recording all of it.
The punk scene here is usually oriented towards hardcore-punk, grind and such… Probably due to the fact we live in a country which is full of racism, hate, and shitty politics. We are pretty much the only screamo band here, and we really hope that a screamo scene will form soon enough!
BRAHM
‘Life will still be beautiful’, and the EP as a whole, is about memory. The lyrical content was inspired by my Grandmother who was diagnosed with Dementia a few years ago and passed away from complications due to COVID in 2020. After she passed, I developed an interest in Dementia and started doing some research into the topic. I’ve experienced a steady decline in the capabilities of my memory for the last decade or so, and large portions of my childhood and adolescence are simply non-existent in my mind. Taking both the loss of my Grandmother and my own fear of developing a similar disorder into consideration, I framed each song on the EP as its own “stage” of a three-part series on coming to terms with the gradual loss of memory.
‘Life will still be beautiful’ is my way of acknowledging that my memories aren’t just mine, and that they will live on through others even after I lose the ability to retain them. Infinite love from us to Zegema Beach Records, Charles Toshio Carver (aka Audio By Tosh), anyone who listens to our band, and Doja Cat.
BURIAL ETIQUETTE
We took a different approach when recording Promise. Usually, the structure of the song would be formed by jamming on an idea over time, which was built around the melodies of the guitars and vocals. Instead, we wanted to see if we could use different time signatures as motifs, the same way we have used recurring chord shapes. All of the vocals were then written after to compliment these time changes and keep it from sounding disjointed or obvious.
This song is the first half of our contribution towards an upcoming six way split. We have been using this time at home to record our first full length album, which we have been writing for the last two years. Needless to say, we are pretty hyped to be putting down tracks.
CAMPBELL TRIO
What’s new is the old. Even being spread around three cities and two hemispheres we managed to resurrect our lost full length album recorded in 2012 and release it in vinyl, digitally (via a successful crowdfunding campaign and with the help of Yeah! You! records and OverAllRex) and now on tape (exclusively via Zegema Beach) in 2021. Besides that we have no idea. There are unfinished recordings from 2018, there is the possibility of matching geographic space in early 2022 and there is the possibility of screwing everything up as usual. Who knows? Oh, also, if you ask nicely we can play at your city.
CARA NEIR
It’s been a very busy year for us. Definitely our most creative and productive year to date. Even though we had 2 full lengths released, there’s a lot more we did behind the curtain that’s either complete & off to the presses or mostly written yet not fully fleshed out production-wise. 2022 will see a similar burst of output from our corner.
1 bit of the aforementioned slate on the horizon: Next Cara Neir full length will be ‘Phantasmal’, following up the side-stepping satirical grinder in ‘Pain Gel of Purification’, and firmly slotted in as the spookier 8-bit sequel to ‘Phase Out’. Keep your controllers plugged in and stay tuned for it on Zegema Beach Records Summer 2022. More 8-bit fun from Garry’s side quest in Gonemage in the pipeline as well. Lastly, we thank everyone for the support and keeping up with our wild ride this year!
P.S. Cassettes rule. May they continue to thrive.
DEMERSAL
“The Roots Have Grown Too Strong Here” is the first track of our latest EP, “Death Routines”. The EP explores different kinds of destructive tendencies in modern, everyday life. Things that somehow consume us and lead us to our end. The songs on “Death Routines” are shorter and more condensed and chaotic than our previous releases, and this track in particular is no exception.
We are going to release new songs in the beginning of 2022.
ENCARSIA
This is one of the first songs our band wrote, we recorded the drums at our neighbors bar and the rest at our house over the course of the last year. Although it’s been a strange and difficult time for everyone, these songs have given us something to work and stay focused on, hopefully that feeling of resilience through uncertainty comes through the in recording. We’re slowly putting together the beginning of a self-titled, full length album and hope to push the chaotic riffing as far as we can.
FALL OF MESSIAH
We just hope to play shows and have the opportunity to hang out with old and new friends! And Contreforts is quite a good representation of it, it’s a song telling that we’ll go further if we are together, if we have eachother’s back !
HAWAK
I’m in a fevered nightmare, but Hawak is writing some more for an eventual recording session.
We have a couple dates for tour booked in 2022.
HEEL TURN
Popular Melodies in the Last of Your Mind is an extension to our full length ‘Glamorous Void’ that we plan to release in 2022. It along with these 11 other songs were written in the height of the lockdown portion of the pandemic. The song tries its best encompass the idea that sickness, chaos, intolerance, & corruption are happening all around you and the sense of hopelessness and inner turmoil that you can do little to nothing about it while being isolated in your home while trying to do what’s best for those around you.
It’s been a long 2 years, but Heel Turn plans to return to touring in 2022. We’ll be headed to the studio in a few months to track another ep that will hopefully be released this year as well.
HUNDREDS OF AU
Hundreds of AU is super excited to be releasing our newest EP “A Briefing on the Human Condition” on vinyl with Zegema Beach Records and Protagonist Music.
As for later in 2022, we’ll be sharing a split 7″ with Horsewhip on Tor Johnson Records and sharing another new track on a yet to be announced compilation.
KARLOFF
What’s new ? Not much. We’re all focusing on other musical projects, careers, self care, etc. No Funeral is staying busy releasing other music and navigating the new world of booking shows for touring bands.
There is still a small visualizer to come for a track from the record, and the variants for the vinyl as well as a VHS release of our video for Hibiscus.
LETTERBOMBS
Eetu (Vocals): I’m originally from a small riverside town up north, where it’s an annual tradition to watch the ice run down the river as it starts to break off the mainland. I enviously watched the ice break free, fending for itself. But there I was, left in the shit that was my life back then. I just wanted to leave everything behind me and stop being a burden, so that others could live their lives free of me. Just as the ice that flows towards uncertainty.
In 2022, we’ve got a lot of stuff lined-up, including TONS of new material and our first live shows here in Finland. Thanks to everyone, who has supported us one way or another!
LOWER AUTOMATION
We’ve got some shows and runs lined up for the new year (fingers crossed). On January 20th, we’re playing the full album live at the Beat Kitchen in Chicago with some great bands: Snooze, Background Character, and Past Forms.
Some brand new shirts will be up on bandcamp next month and we’re just about knee deep in new music.
NEW GRASS
New Grass are preparing for summer/fall 2022 live dates, working on lots of new material and looking for collaborators- especially if they like words and/or have something to say, yell and/or sing!
OFF MINOR
We currently aim to re-release all other Off Minor records this year as short run cassettes. I wish this song were no longer relevant as 2021 draws to a close, but our inhumane health care system is as cruel as ever and people are still dying because of it.
ORPHAN DONOR
Gathering ideas for some new Donor, and finishing up the next secret Cutter Record. I’m pretty much in a hardcore dad mode and been focusing all of my energy on my family. I think I’ll hit music harder in the coming years and keep writing and recording in my basement. It just feels more spread out as of now.
OUR FUTURE IS AN ABSOLUTE SHADOW
This song was recorded during our second session which was about 20 songs. This song will appear on the ‘Cube’ 6-Way split 12″ releasing spring/summer 2022. The song is about the deforestation that’s happening in British Columbia. It’s so bad that protesters are chaining themselves to trees and the fuckers are cutting just above their heads and then the protesters are getting arrested. That’s so goddamn backwards that, “god, I want to chainsaw your neck.” It’s corporate and political bullying that’s wreaking havoc on the ecosystem here and the rich elite couldn’t give two fucks.
PIET ONTHEL
Piet Onthel get a really tight schedule for 2022 such as Compilations, splits and probably a 3” EP. Hoping next year is gonna be great!
PIRI REIS
We are currently waiting for our new album entitled ritma to be out in the next couple of month. the labels involve are React With Protect Records, Moment Of Collapse Records, Framecode Records & Zegema Beach Records. The album are mostly about our personal experiences and political situation here in Malaysia.
Since the pandemic the band are not actively play live but a lot of venues are opening back for a show, so we will hit the road back in 2022!
PORTREIT
I think the lyrics leave a lot of space for interpretation, what is totally intended, cause we like to encourage people to make their own thoughts. So I don‘t want to take your space & great ideas away from you. For me this song is about the state of a collapsing system, which destroys & kills everything inside of it & the world around it and also our role inside it & the lost opportunities to actually make a difference. In a bigger context this means an earth & everyone living on it being killed by capitalism & those who still Profit from it, or the daily struggle of people being marginalized & oppressed in a patriarchal Society.
And in a smaller context, that we ceep reproducing so many things we disagree with & like to change in our own communitys & our scene, which still is a white cis-male dominanted boysclub & becomes more & more consumable & meaningless. And again about the lost opportunities to actually make a difference, trying to create safer free spaces for everybody.
So we see a lot of potential in the younger generation these days, like the radicalsation of the climate movement, a strong, fresh queer-feminism, or a bigger (sub) cultural diversity. So maybe our part is to make space for new ideas, empower young people to participate & take their space, support & encourage flinta people in their struggle in & outside the punk scene and fight together for safer spaces & more diversity on & in front of the stage and just try to be a good allie!
And as I said, there is so much more, I forgot, or i‘m not aware of, but maybe you are…So we are always happy about feedback, Inspiration, open for discussions and like the idea of connecting, networking & supporting each other. And if you play in a cool (flinta-)band & like to in germany, or need help with releasing a tape or stuff, feel free to contact us and we are happy to support.
RIVERSLEEM
Cavalier is the first song we ever wrote as a band, and it’s the opening track off our first EP. We’re stoked to be included on this compilation with so many amazing bands, and we love ZBR for all of the good that they bring to the world. 2021 was a big year for us, we put out our debut EP and finally played our first show. There’s a full length recording of that show dropping on December 31st so definitely look out for that. Looking into the new year, we’re beyond excited to be putting out a 7” of the EP and we’re cooking up some new tunes along the way, make sure to check out that live video to get a taste of what’s to come.
Continued below…
REVERIE
“Patterns” is the third single from our debut record: ‘Everything Repeats Itself Forever’, due to be released in early 2022. The song talks about the inability to be in control of your mind and letting toxic and self-destructive behaviours take you over. That’s something we’ve been struggling with during the past two years, mostly because of the pandemic situation. But this is also part of the reason why this record is so important to us.
RUHAEDA
Ruhaeda regrouped earlier this year for the first time in two decades and we managed to re-invent our sound without abandoning our roots. The entire experience was profoundly cathartic and allowed us the opportunity to create new sonic textures during these fucked-up pandemic times. We can’t wait to record and share them with everyone in 2022. Stay safe and stay close to people who believe in facts and science.
TO FORGET
The LP as a whole deals with loss in its many forms. “Vannah’s Call” is in memoriam of Sophian Asey. We’re writing some new material for a split that we hope to put out mid 2022. We have a show coming up: 1/30 with Frail Body, Knoll, and The Holy Ghost Tabernacle Choir at Lodge of Sorrows in Savannah, GA.
TRANSISTOR TRANSISTOR
Nat’s new band Strangelight just released a new four song EP, The World Needs Laughter (see IDIOTEQ feature HERE). It is streaming everywhere now and records should be shipping soon. The four members of Transistor Transistor haven’t been in the same room together for several years. Once they are they will do what they always did best, play foosball and watch First Blood.
VIA FONDO
Origami is one of the first songs we wrote when via fondo was formed in a small sleepy town in 2010. I think everyone was unemployed and single – two factors notorious for their beneficial impact on writing emo. We rehearsed a lot that summer.
Origami talks about the unsuccessful defense mechanism of going over a terrible event in your head a million times before it happens – to make it less shocking and painful when it finally occurs. This is not a good strategy, but I still do this to some degree today, 12 years after writing the lyrics for Origami. Trying to prepare for the loss of everyone you love is futile – but much worse – you waste the time you actually have with them. It’s very obvious really.
Anyway! What is new? Not much, but me and Gusta are playing some music together. Our band is called Anna but I guess technically we don’t exist, since we have not played a show nor released a song. But I’m grateful to be able to write a song when something shitty happens. It actually helps. And it is the best feeling when the song turns out to be great.
