The debut by Coma of Eris is not another record. It’s a document of exhaustion and fracture, an 18-minute political reflex that’s been waiting in the wings since before the latest wave of chaos even knew it was coming. Built on a digital scaffolding of file swaps, misaligned drum stems, and four years of interruptions, this record plays like a livewire strung between past and present—too tense to ignore, too honest to contain. And while the world spins off-axis, this transnational screamo coalition screams back.
There’s nothing mythical about the band’s formation, despite the all-star list of underground affiliations. It started with Edie Quinn and Jesse swapping drum tracks in mid-2019, writing over each other’s parts with little more than an idea and the implicit trust that comes from operating in similar shadows. Once Jason stepped in to re-record all the percussion, the project’s shape began to congeal. Tom and Dave entered. The name, Coma of Eris, is as literal as it gets—a fusion of Coma Regalia and Apostles of Eris, not some celestial metaphor.
Every member recorded in isolation, scattered across states and provinces. The final product feels anything but disjointed. There’s a rigor here, a serrated tension pulsing through each measure. The inspiration draws from French screamo (Daitro, Gameness), from acts like Kill Sadie and Milemarker, with Jesse winging it more often than not and Dave laying down vocals in his own makeshift booth.
Lyrically, Coma of Eris screams plainly. Tracks like “Dozing Past Decency” lash out at the hollowing of words like “woke,” which now serve as weapons in right-wing propaganda. “I’d been itching to write a song about how the right’s demonization of the word and idea of ‘woke’ is absolutely fucking nuts,” Dave says, refusing to sugarcoat the situation. Elsewhere, the words eviscerate generational indifference to climate collapse, the rot of capital culture, and the lonely ache of disconnection. “I’ve never had a good/best friend for longer than a decade,” Dave admits on “Someone Half-Assed It or An Idiot Tried Too Hard.”
The album art—a hand clutching balloons over decaying rooftops—emerged early in the process, a quick sketch by Edie that hung around long enough to become permanent. The background came from a photo taken on a European tour, a reminder that even the visual echoes of this project trace back to scenes lived, not imagined.
Edie’s already stacking new releases—Worn Through, Deracine, Breathing Lessons, and more.
Dave’s pushing through with Mourn Recif and Wollruss, while Jesse continues with Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow and All You Have. Everyone here is on to the next thing, which in this world means more discomfort, more commentary, and more urgency.
The full interview below dives into the architecture of this record, from its slow-motion birth to its reactionary core. We talked about climate apathy, leftist media, shoplifting ethics, and what happens when borders dissolve but power doesn’t. Read on.
Alright, a screamo supergroup, wow, sounds like a million-dollar project, haha! You guys are like the Avengers of the underground. I’ve been digging into your self-titled record, and it’s a wild ride—tight, intense, and somehow still graceful despite all the chaos.
How did this whole thing kick off? I read somewhere that it started with Jesse and someone swapping drum tracks and guitars, and then it snowballed into this epic lineup. Walk me through that first spark—how’d you go from casual jams to roping in Jason on drums, Tom on bass, and Dave jumping in to make it a proper Coma Regalia/Apostles of Eris mashup? Oh, and just in case anyone’s new to the party, maybe give a quick shoutout to who’s in the crew and what other projects you’re tied to.
EDIE: You’re right. First off Jesse and I swapped some drum tracks. We each wrote guitars to the other’s drums and then when we sent those files back we wrote guitars to the other’s guitars. At that point, I began mixing and I got the drums close to sounding like they came from the same session but not quite. I also just really felt like an outside perspective might elevate the songs even more so I asked Jesse if he was OK with me asking Jason to redo all the drums and that was that. We asked Tom to be a part of it somewhere in the middle of all that and once we had Jason’s drums we re-recorded everything, kind of fine-tuning all our tones and parts just slightly and when we were done Tom laid down the bass. At that point we had a couple ideas where the project we could go but nothing really happened until Jesse made a remark in a chat we were having where he said “this is like Coma Regalia plus me now” and it dawned on me that this was more or less a musical collaboration between Coma Regalia and Apostles of Eris so why don’t we just ask Dave into the mix and make it 100% that.
As far as other projects, I’ll try to keep it brief so if I miss anything I’ll let Dave and Jesse fill in the blanks. Right now Coma Regalia is my main thing but I’m also doing a few other projects that I’d like to make a live thing out of if possible. Those are Kill Code and Worn Through, which have releases that have come out over the last few months. For bands that are recording only I’ve got new stuff coming from Deracine and …and no one knew as well as a bunch of new things like the project I’m doing with Vinny from Gospel/Medicinal etc called VETS and another new thing with Peter from Snag and Shan from Scratchy Blanket called Breathing Lessons. You can expect songs from both those on the Combustion V.5 compilation in May.
For the other folks, Jason is also in a sick powerviolence band called Violent Abuse, who I’m told have a new EP coming soon as well as a thrashy punky metal band called Reaping Fields. I’m not entirely sure what they’re up to but they’re sick. Tom of course is in Hundreds of AU, who have a new LP coming on Iodine Recordings. He also plays in Saetia now, who have just released their first new music in 20+ years in the form of a 3 song EP called Tendrils. In addition to that his band Spiritkiller just released their first s/t LP. He also did the guitars on the new …and no one knew I mentioned earlier as well as he’s done bass on the first VETS song you’ll hear. I’m sure he’s doing 20 other projects we’ll hear about at some point as well. He’s the most prolific musician I know.
JESSE: Hey I’m Jesse, besides Apostles of Eris I’m also in All You Have, Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow, and In Wolves Clothing. In July 2019 Edie asked me if I wanted to do a project where we each record 5 songs of drums, send them to the other to record guitar to, then send them back and record 2nd guitar on top. She said she could probably get Tom to do bass and had some vocalists in mind. Within a week we both recorded our drums (although Edie did 6 songs instead of 5), and within a month had the guitars done. After a year went by Edie suggested having Jason reinterpret our drums for consistency, so then we went and rerecorded our guitars over his parts. By the end of 2020 all of the music was finished. Edie ended up talking to 3-4 different people about vocals, all of whom tapped out. Somewhere along the way I pointed out that the lineup was essentially me plus Coma Regalia, and that put a bug in her brain to eventually hit up David and make it a full on Apostles of Eris/Coma Regalia collaboration. That decision was made at the end of 2022. Edie and David mirrored the original path we took and each took on some songs then sent them to the other to record over. Life hit all of us in various ways, so things weren’t completed until late 2024/early 2025. The wait was so worth it though.
DAVE: I came in late but that makes me no less ecstatic to be a part of this incredible project. It was one of those things where when I was asked there was literally zero hesitation. I think Edie and Jesse and incredible musicians, and somehow I either wasn’t told or skipped the note that said Jason and Tom were part of the project, so when we were just a few days away from release I found out and was additionally flabbergasted.
I also play Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow (which is just an internet project) but I play guitar and do vocals in two local Vancouver Island bands named Mourn Recif (we have a batch of songs recorded that will start releasing in June with an EP, followed by a three-way split) and the lesser active but exciting Wollruss with the same drummer and Nima from Hillsboro and La Lune (we haven’t recorded anything but have 6 songs ready when the time comes).
Let’s talk about how this album came to life. What was the process like? I’m curious about the musical inspirations you were pulling from in the screamo world—some folks hear this stuff and think it’s just noise, others are ready to fight you for saying that. What corner of screamo lights your fire? Are you leaning into the raw emoviolence chaos, the mathy panic-chord vibes, or something else entirely?
EDIE: Well, we already covered how it came to life with Jesse and I exchanging files but as far as specific influence I know I was really trying to lean into stuff like Milemarker, Kill Sadie while also trying to throw some anthemic elements in there reminiscent of bands like American Steel or something. I don’t think that part came out too much except maybe in Archers Take Aim but it was a thought.
JESSE: Edie was going for some Milemarker vibes with her drums, while I was just kinda winging it. We both have similar enough styles that it all clicked together. I kept her initial influence in mind when recording my first guitars, but in the end I let the drums lead my journey. This wasn’t my first time starting out with drums, as that’s how we do OFIAAS, but it is quite a different thought process than writing guitar on my own, and tends to bring out things I wouldn’t write by myself. I think I was probably listening to a lot of Gameness, Daitro, and other French bands around the time I recorded Archers Take Aim and Someone Half-Assed It. When recording to Edie’s guitars I just tried to lean into my own style while complimenting what she wrote.
DAVE: Honestly I just do me lol. When I started screaming like 20 years ago I was going for a Bright Calm Blue kind of approach with talking as well as screaming but over time it just evolved into what I do now. I know Edie does clean vocals a lot so I felt it necessary to try and at least include one singing part, which is found on “Archers Take Aim”.
The record’s got this insane energy—like it’s always on the edge of freaking out but still moves with its own weird grace. Where’d you lay it down, and how’d that spot shape the sound? I’m picturing you all crammed in some sweaty basement or maybe a fancy studio with Edie at the controls, tweaking knobs to get that perfect dirty mix. Any fun stories from the sessions?
EDIE: We actually recorded everything completely remotely. Each player recorded in their own space and sent me all the files at which point I mixed and mastered them over the course of getting things in in pieces.
JESSE: The wild part of this is that none of us were even in the same place to record our parts, we all did it from our homes or a local studio.
DAVE: What they said. Because I’ve played in so many internet projects I’ve gotten decent at recording my own vocals, but my knowledge of the recording process wraps up with that.
Okay, the name—Coma of Eris. What’s the story there? I’m a sucker for a good origin tale, so don’t skimp on the details.
EDIE: Unfortunately I don’t think it’s a super interesting story. When we realized it was a collaboration between Coma Regalia and Apostles of Eris I suggested Coma of Eris which is an obvious combination of both names. Apostles of Regalia just didn’t roll of the tongue the same way.
Lyrically, you’re tackling some heavy stuff—dreams getting crushed, the climate going to hell, political extremism, and that Robin Hood energy of sticking it to the dumbass right. I caught that bit about “Dozing Past Decency” feeling weirdly prophetic with the whole DEI and “woke” blame game going on now. What’s driving those words? How do you see the current mess—political or otherwise—playing into what you’re screaming about?
EDIE: Speaking for myself the lyrics are always going to be a kind of reaction to the world around me. Sometimes that reaction is more internal and sometimes more external. For some time we’ve seen a lot of the things that are happening right now coming and so the timing of everything is maybe especially relevant.
DAVE: This was written before I thought Trump had any chance of winning another election, so a lot of the drive is the fact that I watch A LOT of underground leftist media. David Doel, Mike Figueredo, Kyle Kulinski, Hasan Piker, Lance from The Serf Times, and Francesca from The Bitchuation Room really reflect my views so I pull from a lot of that kind of stuff when writing, but if you look back at early Mrtex material from the mid-2010s you may notice that I’ve always kind of written this way. I grew up listening to Propagandhi and now have a wife and kids, so making love songs is a couple of decades behind me. I’m angry at the future we’re leaving for my children.
Since we’re on the lyrics, any chance you’d wanna do a quick track-by-track breakdown? No pressure if that’s too much, but I’d love to hear what was swirling in your heads for each one.
EDIE: First of all I’ll say that Dave and I gave each other free reign to interpret one another’s words in a context that was moving to them personally so if I read any of these things completely wrong that might seem weird but I also think it just adds another perspective that only adds to the songs and doesn’t take away from what either person contributed. I generally try not to over-explain the lyrics so the listener can form their own attachments to them if they like. If Dave wants to do a track by track though, I’m all for it.
DAVE: You got it! These are from my perspective only and don’t speak for Edie’s lyrics:
You’re Trying to Save a Skeleton = This one is kinda vague, but it’s basically about the present being absolute shit. With time and perseverance I hope it gets better.
Expectance = We used this song as a kind of demo for how we would write as it was the first one Edie sent to me. The lyrics mostly repeat what Edie is screaming, but I took the first few lines to speak about something personal to me that I’d prefer being kept interpretative.
Cloud City Demolition Company = Playing off of Edie’s lyrics, I viewed this song as being about running a label and pouring everything you’ve got into it only to rake in financial debt and seeing people shit on you online. A pillar of nothing.
A Dip in Lake Drowning = This song is about older generations and their purposeful ignorance toward the harm humans are doing to the environment. I tried to talk to a family member recently about climate change and they got very upset with me when I brought up how their generation will be dead by the time the world is burning and they don’t seem to care. Cuz they don’t. The empathy is lost when the finger is pointed at them.
Archers Take Aim = This one doesn’t have many lyrics from me, but I wrote them about people who have lost hope and don’t try to do anything to make the world a better place. Someone dug a hole for them, and they’ll climb in and die there.
Someone Half-Assed It or An Idiot Tried Too Hard = This song is about how I’ve never had a good/best friend for longer than a decade, as we always either grow apart or they lose interest in me. The title comes from the question, “did my friend not care enough or did I try too hard?”
Uneven Exchange = I tried to play off Edie’s lyrics again here, and took it as the younger generation of screamo-heads have kind of parted the scene’s path in two directions – most of whom continue to try to be inclusive and positive, while a few others are leaning toward profits and egos.
I Will Become Turbo Man = The title of this song comes from an Aunty Donna bit (this one) which I think is hilarious, and was used because I could relate to the lyrical material. Straight up, this song is about stealing from corporate stores. Leave mom and pop shops alone, but if it’s a huge entity and you aren’t stealing…then you’re losing cuz corporations steal from you every fucking day.
Graphs of Trez = This jam is about Trez from Mares Of Thrace, as she gifted me a few pedals when I started playing guitar in 2022 or so. I was pretty down on my playing and she gave me both inspiration and words of motivation, as she’s the one behind me saying “you’re so cool”.
More Than Just Lost = I believe we will see a general revolt in the next ten years, this is a reminder to myself to rise up. You should too.
Dozing Past Decency = I’d been itching to write a song about how the right’s demonization of the word and idea of “woke” is absolutely fucking nuts. Woke means having empathy for your fellow human, and having that thrown back at me as an insult is beyond infuriating. If you aren’t woke you are asleep and likely a piece of human trash, which is where I pulled the title from. Unfortunately this issue has gotten worse in the wake of the fascist Trump regime and is showing no signs of slowing down.
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What’s the deal with that album art? Is it tied to the songs, or just some trippy visual you all vibed with?
EDIE: The album art came from a couple places. I can’t remember if it was after our first exchange of vocal files or just one of the first chats but I had the idea for the hand with the balloons and sent Dave the sketch more or less the way it is on the finished cover right then. Dave liked the idea but we weren’t too close to being done at that point so I sat on it. I debated how to flesh out the background and I kept coming back to this idea of overlooking some older buildings. I was looking for something unrelated through some folders on my computer and came across this photo I had taken on one of our European tours and the finished idea came to me from that.
DAVE: It was here I found out that other members were involved, as I thought the three balloons represented Jesse, Edie, and I. Edie then told me that Jason and Tom were in the band too and then my socks fell off.
Plans for 2025—what’s cooking? You’ve got tapes dropping soon with Zegema Beach and Middle Man, but what’s next? More shows, another record, or are you just gonna disappear into the ether like mysterious screamo ninjas?
EDIE: It’s a busy one for me. There’s at least two major releases coming from Coma Regalia. I’ve just released the Worn Through LP, titled “A Thorn, A Sliver”. There’s new stuff coming from Deracine, …and no one knew, VETS, and Breathing Lessons who I mentioned earlier. I’ll also be finishing the new The Hope Hereafter LP as well as hopefully another Kill Code EP and some more surprises. Tom and Jason both have stuff they’ve just released or about to release like I mentioned earlier. Y’all don’t want to sleep on any of that.
Alright, let’s zoom out a bit—your local scene’s gotta be buzzing with talent. You’re tied to some killer labels and bands, so give us the scoop: who’s your top under-the-radar screamo acts we should be blasting right now? Maybe 5-10 names you’ve stumbled across since 2025 kicked off a while ago. No shade to anyone you don’t mention.
EDIE: Lafayette doesn’t really have a screamo scene but we did play a show here last year and it was well received, it’s just there aren’t any other bands playing it that I’m aware of. As far as Indiana goes though, there are a lot of great bands. As far as screamo goes starsfadingoutquietly is really rad.
JESSE: I’m in Richmond VA, some newer bands to check out from around here are Donald Shimoda, Autumn Sonata, Hynoki, and Skipper.
DAVE: There are a ton of wicked bands popping up in BC with the screamo related bands being: Emma Goldman, Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead, Filigree Silver God, Lord Wrought, Coup D’etat, A Recorded Dawn, All That Decays, and Terrifying Girl’s High School. The non-screamo bands being: Smush, Corrode, Shoplifter, Hillsboro, La Lune, Hose, Jisei, and Piss.
Ok guys, so lastly, if the U.S. and Canada ever merged into some wild super-nation, what’s your move? Are you leading the screamo resistance from the woods, or just chilling with a maple syrup stash, watching it all burn? I feel like you’ve got some dystopian survival skills up your sleeves.
EDIE: I’m not sure what I imagine would happen but it kind of feels like the same 10-20 companies would still be in charge of everything so I don’t know. Like, who would we be fighting that we’re not already fighting? I’d try to find ways to help where I can.
DAVE: A merge would likely be an invasion so I would fight to the death. Fuck the US (under Trump). After my ZBR Fest visit this May I’m not going back for the foreseeable future.
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