VS Self's Closet Witch Future...Ed

January 08, 2024 by David Norman

Okay lotsa stuff going on in January, here’s the schedule for the next week:
Monday = Closet Witch music video
Tuesday = Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow music video
Wednesday = Carrion Spring tape promo pics
Thursday = Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow cover/tracklist
Friday = ZBR Fest 2024 Wave #3
Saturday = Tristan Tzara ‘Discography’ digital release
Monday = Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow ‘LP’ 12” release
Tuesday = Edhochuli single

This past Saturday we released the VS Self tapes with the Canada/International store and Bandcamp pages being gutted almost immediately. The US store still has a fair amount of copies so snag some from there! All links are available through our Bandcamp page embedded below.

There was another Closet Witch music video, this new one features a bunch of live footage over the song “Constantly Problematic”. It’s less than a minute of your time and ‘Chiaroscuro’ was on almost every grind/screamo list that we saw, so feel free to pick up a copy below.

Not Just A Phase helped us out again with the Spotify playlist, so check it out below if you want the heftiest dose of ZBR on the internet. Click on this text or the pic above to go to the playlist.

No Heirloom got some much deserved love on Stereogum. We’re running low on these beauties /50 so hop on it! Click on this text or the pic above for the review, jam it below.

Operation X-Ray did an amazing job with their Best Of Screamo/Skramz 2023 and features a ton of artists, including a hefty handfull of our own. Jam it below (noise rock stuff is first, screamo is a little past halfway thru).

Blind Girls ‘Residue’ is on the heels of a repress from No Funeral (we got some copies too) on the This Noise Is Ours Zegema Beach Roster Review series. We still have some copies of the follow-up ‘The Weight is Everything’. Click on this text or the pic above to go to the review, jam it below!

Othiel’s debut 12”LP ‘We Will Be Our Home’ keeps getting love and moving out of our store. I wouldn’t expect us to have any copies left when they play ZBR Fest 2024. Woot! Click on this text or the pic above for the review. Jam/buy below.

Johnny’s Reco-mmendations: THIN = Incredible mathcore/grindcore/screamo for those who want it totally nuts.

2024 - 01 - 05 /// VS Self podcast & tapes tomorrow!

January 05, 2024 by David Norman

Our 2-week break is almost done, with the U.S. store getting the last of the Blind Girls repress 12” and Gifts From Enola boxset by early next week. Speaking of next week, you’ll find the newest Closet Witch music video on Monday, Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow cover/tracklist reveal + music video, Carrion Spring cassette pictures, and ZBR Fest 2023 Wave #3. As well as all that ridiculousness, we’ve got the VS Self tapes going up for sale tomorrow, that’s Saturday January 6th at 9am PST / 11am CST / 12pm EST. Speaking of VS Self, the podcast that CanaDave did with Kyle of the band and Self Versed Records just went live, so check it out here in full or above via embed.

Inosuke gave an in-depth interview and track-by-track explanation via the always awesome Idioteq.com. The 12”s should ship to us early next week so we’ll post some pics once they arrive! Click on the pic above or this text to read the full article.

Carrion Spring also got a nice write-up along with additional information about each song on the EP. The tapes are done and ship to the US store today so we’ll put them up for sale on January 17th at 9am PST / 11am CST / 12pm EST. Click on this text or the pic above to access the full read.

Tanner (guitar) from In Loving Memory went on the Everything Remade podcast and gave some very interesting information regarding the band and it’s past. Listen above or jam their new EP below (we still have a few non-swirled tapes left in stock!)

There’s a massive Top EPs 2023 list by Borderline Fuckup that captures an excellent snapshot of emo/screamo/hardcore this past year. Lots of ZBR and Tomb Tree artists on there! Check it out by clicking on the pic above or this text.

Rolling Stone nailed two ZBR releases in their top 10. Rick Carp for president, that guy nails this every year.

Nhomme also appeared on the Heavy Pop EP list, check the full list out by clicking on the pic or this text. Jam that ridiculous music video below.

The Screamo Awards 2023 is still live! Make your voice heard!!! Click below to vote!

Johnny’s Reco-mmendations: DJ 54KURA = This is an electronic/breakbeat EP from Dov (Terrifying Girl’s High School, Diva Plavalaguna) was created entirely on the Sega Dreamcast. Dope + dope + dope = Dov.

2024 - 01 - 01 /// Welcome to 2024

January 01, 2024 by David Norman

This is the last post during our “break”, and we’ll be coming back full force on January 6th with the VS Self tape (pictured below). Until then you can snag some ZBR Fest tickets here, check out CanaDave’s podcast with Ryan of Dreamwell here, or just live your life cuz 2024 is gonna be a rollercoaster. Much love from the Daves.

Zampler #22 ‘86 Percent Combat Effective’ is out and kicking serious ass. 29 jams including 6 previously unreleased by Edhochuli, Terry Green, Gossip, Burial Etiquette, and Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow. Art by Yuri of Bok Suna!

Opheliac + For You, Always For You split cassette just released on CanaDave’s Softseed Music label. Opheliac features Taylor of Burial Etiquette doing some of the most beautiful stuff I’ve ever heard (think Grouper’s more accessible material, but condensed) and Lillyn who you will find hanging out at nearly every screamo fest around doing her best experimental noise/shoegaze/screamo hybrid. If you wanna buy a copy from this store to ship with your ZBR stuff you can find a few copies in the Softseed Section, linked here.

CanaDave has been posting how-to-dip videos on TikTok so if you aren’t following us there you probably should! Starting on Jan 6th you’ll be getting hit with videos about 4-5x per week!

You can also click on this pic to go to our TikTok page!

Edie (Coma Regalia/Middle Man Records) and Seth (Funeral Diner/Repeater Records) had a Best of 2023 chat and holy smokes did our name come up a lot. Lotsa love to you two, and the episode was awesome!!!

And don’t forget that we released the No Heirloom self-titled 7” lathe a few days back! The clears went very quickly and now we’re down to just black, and we’ve got less than 20 left.

Operation X-Ray was at it again, this time giving our Inosuke some love. I’ve been told the Best of 2023 is next so I’m hella stoked for that episode!

Click here to jam/buy that much discussed Closet Witch record!!!

We had some releases show up on a few Best of 2023 lists including Closet Witch on Riff Cult, Closet Witch again on Archyde, and Zmar on Anarchist Federation.

Johnny’s Reco-mmendations: THE SCREAMO AWARDS = Instead of listening to something new, take a few minutes to fill out this Best of 2023 survey!!! Click on the pic below or this text to put in your two cents!

2023 - 12 - 27 /// ZBR's Two-Week Break (kinda)

December 27, 2023 by David Norman

We’re currently on our two-week break aka family/inventory time. We’ll get most packages out by January 6th but if we don’t this is our official apology. You won’t hear much from us other than the Zampler release and some Vs Self chatter. See ya soon <3

Zegema Beach Records Fest 2024 has been over half-revealed, which is bonkers to look at and realize there are still more than 10 bands left to announce. Two day passes are dwindling, then you’ll have to wait for the final tickets in mid-January when we release Wave 3 + Single Day tickets. Click on either pic or this text to snag some tickets.

Zampler #22 is pretty much done, I’m just volume mastering and deciding on the final few tracks, as well as waiting to see if another band decides to do some stuff with us. Looks like we’ll have brand new/unreleased jams from Edhochuli, Terry Green, Gossip, Burial Etiquette, and Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow. Art by Yuri of Bok Suna!

After our two-week break the VS Self ‘Collection 19-23’ cassette releases (that’s Saturday January 6th). Above are the promo pics for each variant, starting with the primary bird/branch/flower swirl (the most abundant) all the way to the test dips (the rarest). Every one looks badass and will probably fly out the door.

CanaDave has been posting how-to-dip videos using the halfsies (yellow/blue) variant on TikTok so if you aren’t following us there you probably should!

Our Future Is An Absolute Shadow is done and in-hand, we’re just prepping the inserts. 100 black 12”s. 15 tracks. A whole lotta screamin’ and mad riffs. As per the band’s way of doing things, the drums were written and recorded in their entirety before the guitars/bass were written and thrown on, followed by vocals from Dave Norman, Jesse Mowery, and guest vocalists Arvid (Vi Som Alskade Varandra Sa Mycket), Taylor and Jaccob (Burial Etiquette). ‘LP’ releases in full on January 15th, 2024. Jam the newest song from the record below!

CanaDave did an Out Past the Rings and Tomb Tree Family Tree video, this time for the Karloff/Amitie split 5” lathe and the Glass Noose ‘no more dignity’ cassette.

Operation X-Ray played some killer jams as per usual, stream it in full below! Gifts From Enola were featured on this episode.

Once the break is over we’ll drop our distro copies of Orchid’s ‘Chaos Is Me’ (only 20 copies available!!!) and a handful of Blind Girls 3rd pressing of ‘Residue’ thanks to No Funeral Records. Exact date will be released in the next news update so stay tuned!

Johnny’s Reco-mmendations: GXLLIAM! = We got something cookin’ for this release. Peep now!

2023 - 12 - 22 /// Gifts From Enola + ZBR Fest Wave 2!

December 22, 2023 by David Norman

Wave 2 is here! Holy crap! Direct ticket link:

https://www.ticketweb.com/event/zbr-fest-2024-two-day-subterranean-tickets/13336913?pl=beatkitchen

Gifts From Enola released yesterday and we immediately sold all of the test dips and swirls, as well as over half of the opaque/transparent versions. Check out this incredible band on the 10th anniversary of their hiatus.