Band:	Zbrucz
Album:	Riparia Riparia
Style:	Screamo
Release date:	July 05, 2024
A review by:	X-Ray Rod

01. 2020 By Shin Guard
02. Forty Minute Train Delay
03. Flood Of Unloved
04. 00
05. Dežujem
06. Me Vidiš Kot Sem?
07. Konec Dober, Vse Dobro

Despite the uncompromisingly raw nature of their performance and production values, Zbrucz releases a screamo debut album with such a passionate, painful, yet catchy sense of melancholia that it’s difficult to resist replaying it over and over again.

Metal circles can often look at screamo with contempt, maybe due to some of the mainstream acts that coined the emo label during the Myspace era. That being said, it seems baffling to me to disregard a genre that showcases many of the attributes the average metalhead appreciates. OG screamo like Orchid (USA-MA), Jeromes Dream, Pageninetynine and Love Lost But Not Forgotten are filled with vitriolic assaults of lightning fast riffs, maniacal drumming, and extremely intense vocal performances that gave the genre its name.

Modern bands are doing well in carrying the torch, with Blind Girls, Infant Island, and Frail Body as excellent examples. Most of these bands are from big places like the US, which is precisely why Zbrucz sparked my interest as a brand new band from Slovenia.

This band breathes DIY philosophy, and recorded the album in a shelter and a living room. And it shows. The guitars can at times sound thin, and the loud crash of the cymbals can take over, but there is something in all this rawness that just works. Riparia Riparia’s rawness adds a charismatic aura of carelessness. The music is the perfect sonic representation of wanting to let go of everything, and is very addictive because of this naked, honest approach. Zbrucz may not be as violent as some of the bands I previously mentioned, but that’s not the aim either. They chose instead to double down on the emotional factor. The band fully wallows in pain, anxiety and deep frustration, preferring to combine catchy, melodic mid-tempo riffs with short bursts of fast aggression here and there. This is where the raw production actually helps, as these melodies gain a bite not unlike some DS black metal bands, like Hypothermia, or blackgaze such as early Lantlôs or even Amesoeurs.

As much as I enjoy the waves of powerful riffs, emotional leads and hardcore-laced drumming, it is the vocals that moved me the most. Alex’s screams and wails are gut-wrenching and with a deep sense of urban despair. Her most brilliant performance is on “Dežujem”, the centerpiece of this album and my favorite track. The progression on this track is excellent, and the way she just loses it mid-song is mesmerising, from the calm sections with soft spoken word to the gripping harsher cries that suddenly erupt into haunting screams, perfectly matching the violent music. She sounds so broken and I can’t help but rewind the song to feel the pain once again due to how convincing and immersive it is.

Lasting barely 20 minutes, I’m very impressed with how much replay value I got out of Riparia Riparia. I see so much potential here because Zbrucz have already nailed the style of screamo they want to create. I must admit I'm a bit torn when it comes to the production though. At times I wished the riffs would be more upfront, or that the drums had a less prominent sound, but at the same time I’m afraid that making any changes to their raw style would strip away the fiery urgency in their music and weaken the band’s emotional output. As it is now, I wish Zbrucz the best of luck and will await another record with great expectations.