Delta Sleep: Interview + Photo Essay

Delta Sleep are one of the most profoundly moving bands I have discovered in recent years, quickly becoming one of my favorite acts in math rock and at large, and back in November we had the honor of meeting them for a chat ahead of their performance at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco.

Delta Sleep Interview, 11/20/18 @ Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco, CA. Photos by Vincent Courtoy:

Full photo essay after the jump.

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Doom Shrugs - "The Clairolfactant and the Flatulent Ghost"

Weird is the operative word to describe New Zealand's Doom Shrugs. This is weird and wonderful stuff. This is math rock with a fast and loose feel, so to speak, with off-kilter, nauseating rhythms and a number of improvised sections. Clean guitar tones and tight percussion drive this album, but there are sparse sections of shouted vocals as well. "The Clairolfactant and the Flatulent Ghost" is thought provoking in how it flaunts the normal conventions of music, recalling the math rock zaniness of bands like Hella and the jazz injected improvisational madness of John Zorn and his associated projects. This editor had an almost an identical experience to the first time I heard Horse Torso, especially given that this is obviously supposed to be music that makes you feel uncomfortable. It's very fidgety. Funnily enough, this album's vibe could be described by one of the song titles: "I Feel Overwhelming Joy, Please End My Miserable Life."

Doom Shrugs - "The Clairolfactant and the Flatulent Ghost," out 9/7/18.

Mathcast Episode 24: 9/5/18

This is the 24th episode of Mathcast, in which we discuss Sleepscultor, Accident Prone, Sunflo'er, Shame, Kanna, Campaign Committee, Fawn Limbs, Doom Shrugs, Geisterfahrer, Carnival Ghosts, Delta Sleep, and interview Pedram Valiani of Frontierer and Sectioned.

Horse Torso - live at Mathcore Index Fest 2018

Brooklyn based instrumental math rock quartet Horse Torso’s debut performance at Mathcore Index Fest 2018.

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Aberrant Phase - "End Is Near"

While recently perusing the mathcore tag on Bandcamp, I discovered a great band from my very own city of which I had not yet heard. Given the dearth of such music in the Bay Area, I was astonished to discover a band of like-minded musicians who weren't playing black metal or crust. Aberrant Phase are that band, and after quickly getting in touch with the members, today we have the pleasure of bringing you an exclusive stream of their new EP, "End is Near." The semi-eponymous first track is not unlike The Dillinger Escape Plan's ballad "One of Us Is the Killer," the tremulant vocals guiding the soft instrumentation into the final breakdown's crescendo. The EP then kicks into a higher gear with "Dementia" and "Ghost Farm," finally slowing to a lurch for the finale of "Storms," all of which are reminiscent of "Jane Doe" era Converge, and throughout this record (and moreover their whole discography) there is an air of the 90's and early 2000's that very much recalls other seminal bands such as Botch and Cave In, the proto-mathcore / "math rock before the twinkles" band, Dazzling Killmen, or even their contemporaries in Seizures or Fero Lux.

tl;dr: if you remember the word "noisecore," this will probably be your new jam.

Aberrant Phase are to release their new EP, "End is Near," February 27th.

Mathcast Episode 14: 10/28/17

This is the 14th episode of Mathcast, in which we discuss A Blackbird En Route, Orphan, Cadence Fox, Violence of Action, Alotliketurd, Mouthbreather, "one man piece " (quoth Levi) Pannaural, and smoke all the pot.

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: The Central - THE HONEST SESSIONS (pt. 2)

Mathcore Index Presents: The Central - THE HONEST SESSIONS (pt.2)

"Aluminum Cage / Infinite Pockets / Name to Impress"

"Whatever Happens"

Mathcast Episode 9: 5/28/17

This is the 9th episode of Mathcast, in which we discuss Dark Habits, THECHEESEBURGERPICNIC. Leeched, Eglise, 156/Silence, The Guts, Dead Sons, Tandem, Voiddweller, and try to figure out what the heck a Bear Bong is (spoiler alert: we say "HM2 worship" a whole bunch).

Mathcore Index: Volume 3

We are proud to present to you our third compilation, Mathcore Index: Volume 3, featuring 28 of the finest bands in underground music. Artwork by Karl Frandsen, layout by Tamás Bakó, and original logo by Keith Carlson. Special thank you to SKiN GRAFT Records and Throatruiner Records.

Format: Digital (free download)

Release date: 4/28/17

Track listing:

Bisbâyé - "Sur l'Isolement et la Désolation"

car made of glass - "delayed content dump"*

Conflux Collective - "The Keeper of Light"

Cronauta - "Harangue"

CZAR - "Too Many Yetis"

DEAD KIWIS - "Chuck Norris"

DriveTime Commute - "Chum Fists"

FERO LUX - "Hearse Song"
HYENAS - "Self-Adjusting"

Jardín de la Croix - "Seventeen Years to Hatch an Invasion"

Jesus Horse - "At Least Buy Me Dinner"

Jitters - "My Big Red Knife"

Juan Bond - "Tragedy in the Marquee"

Kangarilla - "Styrofoam Swingset"

KIM - "Pyongyang Nights"

Masiro - "Technocologist Unknown"

MICHEL ANOIA - "Celestial Labacide"

PLEBEIAN GRANDSTAND - "Eros Culture"

Retail Monkey - "Pass Me the Yogurt Chips Before I Cremate Myself, Emilio"

SCIO - "Good Boy"

SeeYouSpaceCowboy - "Soap Opera Stardom Is a Single Teardrop Away"*

secondgradeknifefight - "chemistry 211 (stay away from ryan, he scratches)"

Snooze - "SnooPING AS Usual I see"

Steaksauce Mustache - "You Don't Piss On Hospitality"

Vaulting - "Allmutter"

Wolcott Falls - "Walmart"*

Yowie - "The Reason Your House Is Haunted Can Be Found On This Microfiche"

Zygoma - "Red Curtain Falls"

* = exclusive premiere

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Hibagon - "Orogenesis" / "Lamantino"

Like polyrhythms? Like instrumental math metal? Italy's Hibagon are here, and they've brought the weird. Today we have the pleasure of premiering not one but TWO songs from their upcoming album, "Polyposmic," which is to be released May 12th. The first song, "Orogenesis," is a palindromic 3 minute heavy epic with an almost Ravel like attention given to subtle variation in the main riff. The 2nd track, "Lamantino," is based around a Latin groove that starts spooky and gradually crescendos into a chaotic variation of the main motif.

Mathcast Episode 7: 3/30/17

This is the 7th episode of Mathcast, in which we discuss Date Stuff, Moths, KRZTA, Behold the Conqueror, Sloth Herder, and premiere a new song from American Standards.

Best of 2016

Mathcore Index's Best of 2016

Christian:

I hate ranking things I love (especially when it comes to music), and because this year was so exceptionally challenging, I decided to organize my lists based upon pure volume of listens. I also took the time to make a list for unsigned/underground acts, another for signed/major acts (bands that are well known within our scene), and finally 2 smaller lists for EPs and honorable mentions, respectively. Lastly, most of these bands appear on our compilations, so hopefully that doesn't come as a surprise. Allons-i.

Unsigned/underground:

10) Cyprus - "The Librettist"

Australia continues to illustrate they are better at music than you.

9) Jitters - "You're In Therapy"

Instrumental math-rock wizardry.

8) Église - "Église"

The perfect blend of Botch and Converge.

7) Unyielding Love - "The Sweat of Augury"

Feedback, blast beats, and tortured screams, these are a few of my favorite things.

6) Spurn - "Comfort In Nothing"

Sonic filth.

5) Noise Trail Immersion - "Womb"

Heavy, dissonant mathcore. Sleeper hit of the year.

4) The Central - "Discovery of A Rat"

Outstanding musicianship, new favorite two piece.

\

3) Forests - "Sun Eat Moon Grave Party"

Prepare for all the feels, because this Singaporean band does American-style emo / math-rock better than America.

2) Mothman - "Answers to No One"

Spiritual successor to bands like His Hero Is Gone and Ed Gein, meanest record with serious replay value.

1) Arms - "Blackout"

Paul Hundeby (also of City of Ifa and City Pro Recordings), the mastermind behind this once one-man project, wrote and recorded all instruments as well handling all engineering and production duties on this powerhouse of a record. I love this record because each song holds truly memorable passages, and I find myself absentmindedly humming the riffs a lot. Arms shared the stage with many notable national touring acts in 2016, and this year they are making their first European appearance along with our friends in Frontierer at Complexity Fest 2017, which is sponsored by Mathcore Index.

Signed/major acts:

10) Every Time I Die - "Low Teens"

I've said this many times, but it bears repeating: this band cannot make a bad record.

9) Nails - "You Will Never Be One of Us"

Say what you will, but it's mean and it makes me wanna mosh.

8) Plebeian Grandstand - "False Highs, True Lows"

Another near perfect effort.

7) Wormrot - "Voices"

Grindcore AOTY, Singapore is strong on our charts this year.

6) Coma Cluster Void - "Mind Cemeteries"

One of the most underrated and interesting bands in modern death metal.

5) Vermin Womb - "Decline"

This is what perfect deathgrind sounds like.

4) American Football - "American Football LP2"

All the Kinsella charm is still there.

3) Ion Dissonance - "To Cast the First Stone"

"To Cast the First Stone" recalls the chaos of "Solace" while still retaining the heaviness of "Minus the Herd," and, simply put, is a banger. Many thanks to Good Fight Music for allowing them to appear on our second compilation, Mathcore Index: Volume 2.

2) The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Dissociation"

The perfect band, and a perfect end (allegedly) to their career. I would say music is better now, them having existed, and there is no band more influential in our scene. 

1) Car Bomb - "Meta"

Here I have included my Bandcamp review for "Meta," as it still seems the most effective description:

"Absolutely outstanding and incredibly innovative, Car Bomb are one of the most compelling bands in extreme music, and they have truly outdone themselves (again) with "Meta." I could continue heaping praise or add comparisons to other bands, but the fact is: there is no comparison to Car Bomb."



Top 5 EPs:

Wolf King - "Into the Infinite"
Sundrainer - "I Hope This Breaks Your Spirit"
Infernal Coil - "Infinite Prayer of Burning Hatred"
Worry - "Burden EP"
Gif From God - "2016 Winter Tour Tape"

Honorable Mentions*:

Telos - "Telos"
Cognizant - "Cognizant"
Brazen Bull - "Soiree"
Munt - "The Mind Is a Cage"
undō - "Deep Down"
Prissy Whip - "RIP AF"
Panthallasa - "Temper"
Cronauta - "The Bullring"
Jesus Horse - "Arguably More Productive Than Being Dead"
SeeYouSpaceCowboy - demo
Autocatalytica - "Vicissitudes"
Minerva Superduty - "Ground Zero"
Drivetime Commute - "Bag of Snakes"
The Guts - "Birth"
The Divorcée - "All My Heroes Are Dead and They Are Never Coming Back"
Car Made Of Glass - demo
Steaksauce Mustache - "Eat What We Kill For You"

*yes, a few of these were totally added last minute. -Christian

~

Simon:

In no particular order...

Plebeian Grandstand - "False Highs, True Lows"

Coma Cluster Void - "Mind Cemeteries"

Deathspell Omega - "The Synarchy of Molten Bones"

Ulcerate - "Shrines of Paralysis"

Teramobil - "Magnitude of Thoughts"

Gendo Ikari - "Unit 1" (ep)

Meshuggah - "The Violent Sleep of Reason"

The Apex - "Underbelly" (ep)

Behold... the Arctopus - "Cognitive Emancipation"

Car Bomb - "Meta"

Mathcast: Episode 3 12/2/16

This is the third episode of "Mathcast," in which we discuss Jitters, Juan Bond, Cronauta, Jesus Horse, Dead Kiwis, and are parodied by Luke Kelly of LTK Music / Zelophilia.

Also available on iTunes.

Mathcore Index: Volume 2

We are proud to present to you our second compilation, Mathcore Index: Volume 2, featuring nearly 30 unique underground artists from around the globe. Artwork by the supremely talented Karl Frandsen, layout by Tamás Bakó, and original logo by Keith Carlson. 

Format: digital, free 

Release date: 11/16/16 

Track listing: 

The Apex - "Underbelly"

Artemisia Absinthium - "Pi"

Brazen Bull - "Stagger"

Car Bomb - "Lights Out"

The Central - "Aku Law"

Cognizant - "Dichotomy"

Cyprus - "Media Analingus"

Down I Go - "An Outlaw Killed"

Forests - "Tamago"

Gas Up Yr Hearse‼ - "Sisyphus In Heat"

Gendo Ikari - "The Protocol"

Gif From God - "No Dude, He Likes to Spray"

Goodthink - "where did it go?"

Hadean - "Noise Reduction Impulse"

Infernal Coil - "True Nature"
Ion Dissonance - "To Lift the Dead Hand of the Past"

MoRkObOt - "KoLoGoRa"

Mothman - "Fiery Faith"

Munt - "Starving" (feat. Davie Campbell of Canpipe)

name - "...By Jaw & Fang"

Noise Trail Immersion - "In Somnis"

Panthallasa - "Blowtorch Mavens"

Prissy Whip - "Dog Food"

Spurn - "News Feed"

Sundrainer - "Blackened Veins"
Teramobil - "Magnitude of Thoughts"

undō - "Deep Down"

Unyielding Love - "Abandon the Body"

Upsilon Acrux - "Pitch Mountain: Maps"

Submission Sunday - 10/30/16

Submission Sundays started as just a chain of posts on the last Sunday of every month, rounding up our favorite user-submitted releases or releases we unearthed ourselves over the course of that month. However, I felt it would be more effective to simply group all these bands into one article for your convenience and listening pleasure. This time I've narrowed it down to 10 highlights, all of them released within the last few months

~

First up, Sundrainer, from Richmond, Virginia. 

FFO: As the Sun Sets, mathcore / techgrind

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Our next submission is a nasty one, Joy, from North Carolina. Thanks to Nick Schultz for recommending this one.

FFO: Nails, Full of Hell, Lamplighter, Grim State

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An incredible submission from Mothman, "Answers to No One," which a pummeling 20 track assault of techgrind/mathcore, and by far one of the most exciting releases this year.



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Screeching, grinding madness from Munt, from Melbourne. Sick highs and insane blast beats with the occasional hardcore breakdown or 2-step, because why the fuck not?



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Super sick stuff from undō, noise / grind from Oakland. Big ups to my good friend Quade Ross for recommending this one.

FFO: Daughters, techgrind, screamo



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Our next band is Puncture, from LA, a promising new band who were recently brought to my attention by my friends in Wolf King. 

FFO: Gaza / Cult Leader, Spurn, Full of Hell



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Really sick stuff from Dig Out, mathcore from Atlanta. 

FFO: Heavy Heavy Low Low, Botch, Gaza



~

Next we have Minerva Superduty, mathcore from Athens.

FFO: Botch, Curl Up and Die, Panthallasa 



~

Ilenkus, mathcore from Ireland, who's latest album was recorded by Aiden Cunningham of Murdock and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege. Solid release.



~

Our last submission is yet another sick band from the UK, Salò, from Glasgow. Thanks to homie Tarquin Jones of I Echoed So Loud for the recommendation. Too bad this band recently called it quits.

FFO: Arab On Radar / Doomsday Student, Daughters, Hit School, AIDS Wolf, Gila Monster, Prissy Whip, noise

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Check back on the last Sunday of every month for more new and exciting underground bands.