Zugzwang Productions

Resonances Of Spiral & Zalhietzli reviews

2012-03-02T22:37:00.001+01:00

New reviews for two of our releases !

A french chronique for Zalhietzli - Sainte Rita on Ambiant Churches. A new blog already filled to the brim with reviews of dark, ambiant and experimental sounds from across the globe. Updated at a stakhanovist pace, thanks to Elie. Keep an eye on it !

Some well deserved praise for Resonance Of Spiral - DEVBLU, on Cephalochromoscope. This blog is a gem for all extreme and weird music lovers. Mainly grindcore (Discordance Axis 4eva <3), metal, but also some not-so-weird music like blues, hip-hop and all that jazz. And actual jazz too. Thanks to my good friend Karlo for this !

Two quality blogs. Bookmark now, friend.

A lot of news.

2012-02-23T13:04:00.001+01:00

Dinosaurs are ALWAYS cool. Don't ask.

Hi everyone ! Zugzwang Productions is almost one year old now, and I am very excited to see how things are going for 2012. As the title points out (because that's what titles are for, duh), we have a lot of ZZP related news ! Here's what's coming for the next months :

NEW RELEASES ANNOUNCEMENTS !

Yep, that's plural. More about that in a future post.

HUATA : First, thanks to anyone who bought a tape of Huata - Atavist Of Mann. With only 50 copies, we underestimated the success this album would meet, so the tapes are already sold out ! A reissue of 50 copies is coming soon, PLUS a reissue of 33 copies of their first EP Open The Gates Of Shambhala. Both reissues will be made with their original ZZP packagings. Another color of paper will be used, to help distinguish the two series.

PROUD FATHER : This release is a bit different from the others, as it wasn't me but Proud Father who took charge of the production process. I'm supposed to receive them soon, hopefully at the beginning of march (but you know what happens when I start setting deadlines). For those waiting for this release, be sure that I'll keep you updated.

LOCAL NEWS : ZZP is starting to infect the real world ! For the French lads and ladies living near Angers, France, you can find some of my products at Biblio Graphik, a small shop dedicated to posters, screenprints, alternative books and exposition. At the moment, only ZZP-003 // Resonance Of Spiral - DEVBLU EP and ZZP-004 // Zalhietzli - Sainte Rita are available there, but hopefully I intend to put a small amount of each release. Click the link above for address and contact.

Plenty of good stuff here ! Yummy for the eyes !

Also, on Feb. 10th I had the pleasure to be invited to the radio show Hors Cadre, aired on Radio G, and independent radio from Angers. The show is hosted by Simon Batardière, a very nice guy and great artist, performing with Jérôme Leclair under the moniker JLSB. Saxophone, field recordings, sound manipulations, improvisations.

You can hear the radio show here (in french). We talk about Zugzwang Productions and my solo musical project Zalhietzli. Concerning ZLTZ, I hope to release something for 2012, but I can't tell much more yet.

Stay tuned !

ZZP-006 /// Huata - Atavist Of Mann

2012-02-17T22:51:00.002+01:00

Quiver, mortals ! Quiver, impious ! The End is coming, and Huata is its herald. Accept its Light, or be crushed under the weight of its Doom !

Yes, I know, this is the cheesiest intro ever, but I was tired of starting all my release announcements with "finally".

But yes, FINALLY (dammit), the tapes of Huata long awaited debut Atavist Of Mann are available through Zugzwang Productions. This has been one all of ride with the fifth horseman of the Apocalypse, the one devoted to fuck up your deadlines. But, at last, here they are in my feeble hands, and hopefully soon in yours.

I am also tired of writing endless tirades about Huata music, so I will sum it up for you. Compared to their first EP : more Doom, more Satan, and the addition of a real church organ that brings a whole new dimension to their sound and songwriting. Or you could listen to the whole deal here.

The tape comes in a paper-made "book", with a witchboard. This handmade packaging is the most ambitious to date on ZZP, and the drawing on the witchboard is the work of our friend Zero Pixel Grind, who worked on the previous EP.

This release is already sold out, but don't worry ! A reissue of both Atavist Of Mann and the first EP Open The Gates Of Shambhala are planned. More infos soon.

Along with the tape version, the album is also released on LP abd CD through De Arte Magica, a consortium of labels.

Here's a video showcasing the packaging, because "a blurry video is better than a thousand blurry pictures"* !

*Yes I know I am quoting myself. Now go away.

Cheap chouchenn all around !

2012-02-01T19:39:00.000+01:00

ZZP is (slowly) gaining momentum ! 968 views on the blogspot this month, thanks mainly to the release of Huata's Atavist Of Mann ! From what I could gather, their january tour went smoothly (mainly thanks to some unholy honey-based beverage), and you have probably heard about their recent addition to the line up of Roadburn 2012 ! Hurray for them !

For all those who preordered some Atavist Of Mann tapes, please be patient. I know this release suffered some delay, but hopefully the wait won't be much longer now.

Same goes for Proud Father full length tape. The process of making these tapes has been pretty long and convoluted in both cases.

February should hopefully see the official release of those two albums, and maybe even some additional surprises... Stay tuned !

Proud Father : streaming, free download, and preorders !

2012-01-18T21:52:00.000+01:00

Today is a great day for Zugzwang Productions, as the collaboration with noise/ambiant/soundscape artist Proud Father is finally taking shape, with the tape release of Hearu Shi No Proud Father : a 90mn journey through lo-fi ambiant, cascading analog drones and electric shoegaze riddled with kaiju samples.

The design of the packaging has been a long process, conducted by Proud Father & myself, and we hope you will love the result as much as we do. The tapes are handpainted, and come in stencil painted resealable plastic bags. Each copy comes with a full size screenprinted poster, with an artwork by Zugzwang Productions.

You don't see much yet but it's on purpooooose.

From now on, the album is available through streaming and free download via the bandcamp page of Proud Father (where you can also download much more gorgeous PF noise/ambiant extravaganza), and through Flaccid Plastic Records, where there's even MORE experimental audio delights. You can even already listen to it through the handy embedded player below.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://proudfather1.bandcamp.com/album/hearu-shi-no-proud-father"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Hearu Shi no Proud Father by Proud/Father&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

And last but not least, preorders for the tape version are now open ! 30 copies, 6€ each including a screenprinted poster.

Finally, pictures of the show where Proud Father performed are available here.

First news of 2012

2012-01-12T16:40:00.000+01:00

It's always like this. You work for months. You plan ahead. But at the end, the planets align and mysteriously but inevitably, every deadlines fall at the same time and you have to finish several projects in a four days span.

This is why in a single post, I can announce that the two impending releases of ZZP will be available before the end of january.

ZZP-005 - PROUD FATHER - Hearu Shi no Proud Father
(The Glorious Death of Proud Father)

Proud Father's longest effort to date : 90mn tape of glimmering soundscapes, noise bursts and shoegazy wall of sound, from the ruins of New Orleans, Louisiana.

Due to the circumstances, the artwork, packaging, and digital version of the album will be probably be unveiled at the release date. Same goes for the pricing.

Proud Father will perform THIS GODDAMN SATURDAY 14th, at the Red House and The White House in New Orleans, LA.

This show will also feature Caddywhompus, B L A C K I E All Caps With Spaces, /fucks/, Habitat and Choi Wolf. More info here.

But more importantly, the first tapes will be available at this show ! Get in a plane ! Go there ! Get 'em !

Also, a first glimpse at the album artwork, made by myself. Hopefully more will be revealed soon.

ZZP-006 - HUATA - Atavist Of Mann

FINALLY, the long awaited first full length of Brittany, France gloomiest doom cult is available ! First, as a digital version via their Bandcamp. Then, the tape version will be carried by the band during their Mannus Millenium Tour in january (Nancy, FR. Tournat, BE. Lille, FR. Mudfest, ND), and soon after through your favorite sonic dope dealer Zugzwang Productions.

The 2xLP edition is still on preorders through De Arte Magica, a label conglomerate (Throatruiner Rcd, Boue Rcd, Odio Sonoro, Mordgrimm and Psychedoomelic Rcd).

As you may have seen during the small series of posts "Playing Peeping Tom", the making of the packaging for the tape edition has been very long, but is now nearing completion. We hope you'll like the result as much as we do ! Here's a last picture before the complete unveiling of this hell of a tape.

And for those wondering, ZZP is already working on other releases. I can't tell you much now, but stay tuned ! 2012 will kick ass !

2011 Xmas sale !

2011-12-03T13:02:00.001+01:00

Oh oh oh ! With Christmas approaching, we decided at Zugzwang Productions to do a special offer on our products, ZZP releases and Distro included.

Every single item available in the ZZP roster and in the tape & vinyl sections of the distro will see its price reduced by 1€ !

Every CD from the distro or the second hand sections,will see its price reduced by 2€ !

Those new prices won't be displayed in the shop section. You'll have to do the substraction yourself. For the second hands CDs, the already existing promotion (-20% for 5 items, -40% for 10 items) is still available, but the reduction will be calculated from the Christmas price. This reduction does not apply on preorders.

This special promotion will end on January 1st 2012. If you have any question about this promotion, please drop me a line at contact.zugzwang (@) gmail.com.

Happy shopping !

Episode 2 of Playing Peeping Tom : Huata - Atavist Of Mann.

2011-11-29T11:39:00.000+01:00

Episode 2 of our thrilling series "Playing Peeping Tom", where you can enter the creation process of Zugzwang Productions' trademark : customized packaging warfare.

Still working on the tape edition for Huata - Atavist Of Mann, which is probably the most complex design and creation process we made this far. Everything is going smoothly. Boxcutter and double-sided adhesive tape in hands. It should be available before the end of the year, and probably before the release of CD and vinyl version. Hope you'll like the result !

We also received the tapes, that we were lucky enough to find in a color that is pretty close the paper we're using. Those will enter homedubbing soon.

Episode 3 will be about the complete unveiling of the packaging. Stay tuned !

Click on the pictures to enlarge. ~~Preorders still open : 5€ (Europe) / $8 (World), including shipping.~~

Preorders are over ! 6,66€ shipping out ! Visit the SHOP for more ZZP goodness !

The saucepan of Doom.

I had to paste over a thousand of these, so don't give me that look, okay ?

Thining the herd.

The Trimmer.

Hours of fun ahead.

Yay.

Episode 1 Playing Peeping Tom : Huata - Atavist Of Mann.

2011-11-22T15:23:00.001+01:00

Hi people, today I have decided to try a little something. From now on, in a series called "Playing Peeping Tom", I'll try my best to document all the process needed in the creation of an album packaging. From the first draft made with cornflakes boxes to the luxurious final product, with all the mind-numbing paper cutting, folding, pasting that goes in-beetween.

Considering that I only have two arms and little to no impulse control, I probably won't be able to take pictures at every step of the production. So expect some gaps in the timeline.

So, to begin with our new series, here's as promised a first glimpse of the packaging for Huata - Atavist Of Mann on tape. This is just a part of the packaging, so expect some more surprises about it. And to make things clear, this is NOT silkscreened, but classic black/white prints. For those who own a Open The Gates..., we went to the same shop, so you know it's good. For those who don't, it's good, believe us.

Step 1 was about cutting and tracing the folding lines in these covers. Step 2 will be about abusing a roll of double-sided tape. Oh, the fun we're having.

Click on the pictures to enlarge. ~~Pre-orders are still open : 5€ (Europe) / $8 (World), including shipping !~~

Preorders are over ! 6,66€ shipping out ! Visit the SHOP for more ZZP goodness !

Trade from the Cold But Loving Mother Russia

2011-11-15T16:46:00.000+01:00

After weeks of wait due to the conjoined laziness of both russian and french postal service, I could finally get my hands on "IT".

"IT" being a trade package from my good russian friend dirt, the mastermind behind QUAGMIRE, home and purveyor of the sickest, dirtiest and most repulsive music from this side of the iron curtain.

This guy already released some RAPE-X, SETE STAR SEPT, HUATA, FISTULA and more... He also makes music as EMOTION OF LOSS, aka the first ZZP release ever !

Here's what he graced me with...

SHAMAN - Ritual Of The Rainforest (Tape)

SHAMAN offers over 30 mn of droning, suffocating ambiant/noise that will get you lost into the deepest entrails of the forest on a moonless night. From the man behind THE WHOREHOUSE MASSACRE.

For its first release, Quagmire worked wonders with the packaging of this little baby. This hand-painted tape comes in plastic case with the artwork pasted on the case, for an absolutely stunning result. Safely packaged in a sealed envelope (the one on the pic is my copy, but the one on sale is still sealed) with a sticker of, quoting dirt himself, "two dirty alcoholics" (and THAT is a selling point).

OINTMENT - Satan's Sandbox (Tape)

This one has been literally dug up from oblivion. OINTMENT was formed in 1989 in Boston, by Big Daddy, drummer of the legendary corrosive sludge act KILSLUG. Before splitting up in 1993, they recorded in 1991 these eight tracks. Twenty goddamn years later, they're finally available. And like every good wine left to stew for two decades, they taste like the piss and vinegar we'd happily drink before going on our sunday morning roadkill spree. Packaged in a bodybag black ziplock bag, with insert and an interview of Big Daddy.

RAPE-X - Paul Stanley (CD)

Harsh noise terrorists legends. Seven tracks based on digital manipulations of the words of Paul Stanley. Layers over layers of speech colliding with harsh noise walls to create an exhausting yet captivating experience.

V/A - Tribute To Seaman Popeye (7-ways split tape)

Title says it all : Tribute to Seaman Popeye, fuck yeah ! The seven bands on this comp go from noise, grind, more noise, sludge, more grind, more noise with samples, more grind, southern rock, and finally more noise. All this in about 15mn. See QUAGMIRE's release page to learn more about the bands.

All these babies are available at our SHOP section, so don't be a fool and buy them all. Guaranteed success next time you show your records collection to girls.

Proud Father album preview ! - "D°S°C° III"

2011-10-30T19:08:00.000+01:00

Proud father sent me a "single" from his upcoming album, Hearu Shi no Proud Father (The Death of Proud Father). There's no release date at the moment, but we are working hard on it ! For now you can enjoy this single or, for those who want more, browse through his already quite impressive discography (with a special notice on "March" and "eizo sakushin shu Proud Father").

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://proudfather1.bandcamp.com/track/d-s-c-iii"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;DºSºCº III by Proud/Father&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;
End of transmission.

SOON ! /// Proud Father - Hearu Shi no Proud Father (C80 Cassette)

2011-10-28T13:06:00.001+02:00

Most of you guys probably don't know about Proud Father, from New Orleans, LA. And that's a shame, trust me.

But at ZZP, we're sensible people, and we know what's good for you. Plus it's almost Christmas and stuff, so it's the perfect time.

Yup, the perfect time for releasing Proud Father longest effort to date : "Hearu Shi no Proud Father" aka "The Death of Proud Father". 80mn of tape collages & manipulations, soundscapes, samples, ambient, harsh noise & much more weird sounds.

Honestly, i'm not usually fond of this genre, but Proud Father stuff is absolutely FASCINATING. Carefully orchestrated chaos drips from your speakers. It floods your room softly, like a tide. Glimmering clouds and fuzzy swarms of drone angler fishes lure you in the depths.

Listen to preview extracts here and here.

Preorder should be open soon, as we're still working on the packaging for this release.

SOON! /// Huata - Atavist Of Mann (C70 Cassette)

2011-10-07T12:31:00.000+02:00

Second release with the fuzz-zealots of Huata, and this one is a mean baby ! Their first full-length, "Atavist Of Mann", will be available on tape on Zugzwang Productions !

This long awaited magnum opus will be released with an alternate artwork, embodied in a cool, handmade packagings. Limited to 50 copies ! More infos about this packaging soon.

Sonically speaking, Huata crawled their way up from the sewers, leaving behind cohorts of toothless, hysterically laughing tramps and giant cave rats, bathing and hunting in their waste. Their ascencion led them to emerge through the ruins of a collapsed church. Gazing at the sky, all they saw were waves of gleaming steel, vomiting fire on the terrified masses. Slowly, they gathered their instruments, even digging and old organ under the calcinated fragments of a broken cross. And then, began the mass.

And if my prose sucks, you can just listen to "Atavist Of Mann" in its entirety here on how it's about to kick your ass.

~~Preorders are open ! 5€ (Europe)/$8 (World) including shipping !~~
Preorders are over ! 6,66€ shipping out ! Visit the SHOP for more ZZP goodness !
Contact me at contact.zugzwang@gmail.com

By the way, the 2xLP vinyl version can also be preordered here.

Good vibes

2011-09-13T12:33:00.000+02:00

Some news regarding Zalhietzli, my noise/ambiant/whatever solo project.

Did my first live show saturday night ! Thanks to Pierre & Elisabeth for the place, Ben & Emilie for the pictures, and to anyone who attended or shared this show.

Live #1 by Zalhietzli

Some reviews of Sainte Rita on Polar Sunspots, Inb4track and Defeated Sounds. A big thanks to you guys ! By the way, there's only 5 tapes left, get yours fast !

Working on news songs and upcoming shows. Yay !

ZZP-004 /// Zalhietzli - Sainte Rita

2011-09-01T13:02:00.000+02:00

My first release as Zalhietzli, Sainte Rita, has been available as a free download on Bandcamp for a few months now. Today, the tape edition is finally available.

These are C-24, limited to 20 copies. As usual, everything is homemade.

Tracklist :
A1 - Juvenile
A2 - Les Incurables
B1 - Sainte Rita

Sainte Rita, or Rita de Cascia, is the patron of the sick, the barren and the widow. Of the lost, desperate and forgotten causes.

This tape should ring a bell for the fans of Swans, Tribes of Neurot, Sunn O))), Monno, Fuck Buttons, and the like.

A big thanks to anyone who already preordered one ! Those are now avalaible for 4€ at the SHOP section.

Distro updates

2011-08-18T23:02:00.000+02:00

Hi everyone ! A new distro update, this time from a trade with The Path Less Traveled Records (US). A big thanks to him, go check his site, lots of cool stuff !

So, let's see what we have here...

***

These three are releases from TPLTR.

BODY HAMMER - Jigoku
Industrial cyber grind. I'm usually not really fond of this genre, but Body Hammer is still pretty interesting, by adding a lot of ambiant/noise parts.

IMBROGLIO - Sleep Deprivation
Heavy, noisy, chaotic-y. For fans of Swarm Of The Lotus, Coalesce, Today Is The Day

FLOURISHING - A Momentary Sense Of The Immediate World
Technical melodic grindcore with a sense of melody.

***

Fuck yeah tapes !

EIBON - Entering Darkness + s/t EP
Doom metal with hints of black, ambiant, indus...

GODSTOPPER - Empty Crawlspace
Suffocating noise rock. Painful and heavy.

***

And finally, two CDs with some cool packaging.

PULLING TEETH - Paradise Illusions
Holy Terror Hardcore.

SINK - The Process
Drone doom, ambiant, noise. A lot of different stuff, yet very cohesive.

You can buy all these, and much more, at the SHOP section.

Rainy summer news

2011-08-05T09:42:00.000+02:00

Howdy boys & girls ! Today, some additions to the distro, with some motherfucking HUMMINGBIRDS OF DEATH ! For those who don't know them, two words merged into one that has to be pronounced as fast and as loud as possible : FASTBLAST.

I must thanks TO LIVE A LIE Records, for this bulk offer that he send me for dirt cheap. Props to him !

As you can see, he also added four xBrainiax - Deprogrammed. I have never heard of them before, but they convinced me in one listen. About half an hour of furious, pissed-off grindcore, get this ! (also 11mn sludge track at the end yay!)

Man, where do I have heard this before ?

On another note, Incurably Optmistic did an incredibly enthusiastic review for Zalhietzli's Sainte Rita, here's some extracts :

"[...] Zalhietzli demonstrates a keen mastery of a large span of experimental and ambient musical elements and creates one of the most real, darkest sounding albums of the year that will stick with you. "

"Admittedly, I'm not even that big of a fan of ambient music but Sainte Rita resonates with the same expertly crafted dark sounds as some of my favorite heavy records like Sunn O)))'s Black One and Earth's Earth 2."

Wow, I'm even a bit embarassed now. A big, big thanks to Tyler for this review ! Be sure to check this great blog, with extensive and very personal reviews. And don't forget...

MAKE ME RICH

ZZP-003 /// Resonance Of Spiral - DEVBLU EP

2011-07-29T19:30:00.000+02:00

Resonance Of Spiral's first EP "DEVBLU" is finally available !

This little gem come in 3" CD, in a tiny packaging, but trust me, it is as heavy, crushing and mean as it gets !

Hailing from Japan, RxOxS deliver a sick mix of indus, hardcore, noise and dope beats. It's like a big melting pots of screams, screeches, samples, thunderous basslines, all tied together by a crushing drummachine.

This EP is "only" 24mn long, with 3 tracks, but the first minutes of Shinagire will be enough to set your brain to kill mode. For fans of early ISIS, Godflesh, Tetsuo, Atari Teenage Riot etc.

You can listen to two tracks from the EP here.

The packaging is 100% handmade. Quite enigmatic when folded, it reveals a bigger composition when opened. The sleeve of tracing paper keeps everything together.

/// For a week, it is still available at its preorder price : 4€, instead of 6€ ! \\\

Here's some more eye-candy :

Glimpses from the back of the packaging :

The sleeve :

I noticed with Huata's tape that a video presentation of the packaging is good for business, so here you go ! What your hear in the vid is an excerpt of track 2, "The Value Of Knights".

SOON! /// Zalhietzli - Sainte Rita demo (Tape)

2011-07-21T23:36:00.000+02:00

Zalhietzli is a personal project I had in mind for several years now, and I am happy to announce its first demo release, Sainte Rita.

Zalhietzli (or ZLTZ, for short) mixes noise, ambient, loops, feedback, soundscape & various sounds manipulations. This first release contains three tracks, for 24mn. You can hear the demo in its entirety on the Bandcamp page.

The demo will be released on tape in september. Limited editions on 20 copies, with handmade packaging, yadda yadda, you know the drill by now. You can already preorder yours for 3€.

Thank you for your attention.

RxOxS coming soon & distro update !

2011-07-11T16:13:00.001+02:00

Hello people ! Things are moving here. Resonance Of Spiral's first EP will be out soon on 3" CDs ! Japanese Psycho Crusher industrial hardcore ! For fans of early Isis, Godflesh, Tetsuo & Atari Teenage Riot ! Limited to 100 copies !

This also means that the preorder offer for it (4€ post paid instead of 6€) will be soon over ! Don't miss it ! Here's a preview :

Also, there's a big update on the shop section (Habsyll, Atolah, Ramesses, Negative Reaction, Rumpeltiltskin Grinder...), as I received a trade package from PsycheDOOMelic Records. A big thanks to Mark for being such a nice guy ! Buy stuff from him too !

Stay tuned !

SOON! /// Resonance Of Spiral - Devblu EP (Pro mCDr)

2011-06-28T09:52:00.000+02:00

TACTICAL DARK WAVE

FROM HELL FAR EAST NOISE FRONT

2MANCELL TILL DEATH

--

THREE MOVEMENTS

1424 SECONDS

CONTRABAND MANUFACTURING

--

RESONANCE OF FUCKING SPIRAL
COMING SOON

ENLIST

ZZP-002 /// Huata - Open The Gates Of Shambhala

2011-06-25T10:53:00.000+02:00

For its second release, Zugzwang Productions is proud to announce the re-edition of Huata's first EP, "Open the the Gates of Shambhala", on tape !

For the few lost souls who have not heard of the Mighty Huata yet, three words : Doom. Stoner. Satan.

The fantastic inner drawing is the work of the very pious ZeroPixelGrind. May Satan bless his soul.

This release is limited to 66 copies, with a special handmade packaging. Here you can catch a glimpse :

Now I know what you're thinking : "wow, those blurry, low-res close-ups sure aren't that informative about something that is probably fucking awesome, as Zugzwang ALWAYS does awesome stuff (even when he does nothing but slacking off)."

So that's why I decided to do a little demo vid of how that rocket science of a packaging works, as a blurry video is always better than a thousand blurry pictures.

You can get yours at the shop section, but be quick ! There's only a few copies left at my store. You can find more on Huata's blog, and soon at Quagmire, Psychedoomelic, Throatruiner and Boue Records.

Emotion Of Loss broadcast on Canal B !

2011-05-20T20:41:00.000+02:00

Just to let you know that "Dead Empty Sky And Its Inscrutable Cold Infinity" by Emotion Of Loss was broadcasted last tuesday on radio Canal B, on "Fire On The Bayou", a weekly show dedicated to hardcore/sludge/grind/etc. A big thanks to Ben and Lucas for this.

Here's the link to the broadcast.
Fire On The Bayou 17/05/11

Be sure to tune on Canal B (94mhz, Rennes), every tuesday, from 9:30pm to 11pm for a sensible selection of delicate tunes and ballads and great professionalism in hosting.

Some news ! Huata & Resonance Of Spiral.

2011-05-08T09:11:00.000+02:00

Hi there, just to let you know that I'm not dead. Now here are some news :

The release of the "Huata - Open The Gates Of Shambhala" K7 has suffered of some delay. Now I can't give you a precise release date, but I can assure you that we're working on it and we're making our best to make it available as soon as possible. I apologize for this inconvenience to those who preordered the tape, and remind you all that this preorder offer (4€, shipping including all over the world) is still available here.

On another subject, I am really proud to announce our next release :

Resonance Of Spiral - DEVBLU ep

Resonance of Spiral is a japanese two piece band delivering a devastating mix of hardcore and industrial. With only a MPC, a bass, and a vocalist, these guys are the MK ULTRA project in sound.
RxOxS drive their way into your cortex with their insane beats and samples and recondition it with thunderous bass assaults as the screams burn a litany of kill words in your subconscious.

Now you're ready.

This 23mn EP will be released on 100 miniCDs with a special handmade packaging. 30 copies will be available via the band and 70 copies via myself. The release is planned for August, and the preorder will be open a little while before.

SOON! /// Huata - Open The Gates Of Shambhala (K7 Re-ed.)

2011-03-29T17:42:00.000+02:00

GUESS WHAT CAME IN THE MAIL LAST FRIDAY ?
That's right, 66 tapes for the next release "Huata - Open The Gates Of Shambhala" on Zugzwang Productions and Quagmire Records. Kudos to Tapeline for their customer support and professionalism.

Brace yourself for half an hour of a super-heavy doom/fuzz/satan combo coming straight from Brittany, France ! Fuzzy, muddy, sticky, fuzzy, stinky, heavy, fuzzy, oh and did I say it's fuzzy ?

First released on CD via Throatruiner Records and now out of stock, this critically acclaimed first effort gets reissued on tape with a very special silkscreened packaging by Headshot Laboratory. More info very soon.

SPECIAL OFFER : preorder for 4€. Shipping included, anywhere in the world !

Huata's next release "Atavist of Mann", on CD and LP, will be available via Throatruiner Records, Duplicate Records, Boue Records, Odio Sonoro and Psychedoomelic Records.

ZZP-001 /// Emotion Of Loss - Demo 2007

2011-03-28T16:55:00.003+02:00

Eventually, after days of researching, prototyping, printing, cutting, sewing* and assembling, Zugzwang's very first release is available ! Limited edition of 13 CDr in handmade packaging, with special faux-leather slipcase.

I am really proud and excited to start my roster with a band like Emotion of Loss, who delivers here 20mn of sick, brutal and depressive Industrial Doom Metal.

No hope here, no life, no light at the end of the tunnel. Just desolation and loneliness. Fields of concrete and charcoal, as far as the eye can see. The intense pulse of all the desperate souls trapped under this ground.

You don't believe me ? Here, have a listen.

Emotion Of Loss - Demo 2007
1. Dead Empty Sky And Its Inscrutable Cold Infinty - 10:26
2. Disturbing Presentiment OF Coming Self-Apocalypse - 13:40

Total - 24:06.

Buy here. Download link coming soon.

*thank you grandma on this one

THE ROSTER

2011-03-28T16:55:00.001+02:00

EMOTION OF LOSS

Emotion Of Loss delivers a heavy and sickening blend of doom, indus and noise. No hope here, no life, no light at the end of the tunnel. Just desolation and loneliness. Fields of concrete and charcoal, as far as the eye can see. The intense pulse of all the desperate souls trapped under this ground.

Band website.

ZZP-001 /// Emotion Of Loss - Demo 2007

=================================================================

HUATA

Huata crawled their way up from the sewers, leaving behind cohorts of toothless, hysterically laughing tramps and giant cave rats, bathing and hunting in their waste. Their ascencion led them to emerge through the ruins of a collapsed church. Gazing at the sky, all they saw were waves of gleaming steel, vomiting fire on the terrified masses. Slowly, they gathered their instruments, even digging and old organ under the calcinated fragments of a broken cross. And then, began the mass.

Band website.

Bandcamp page.

ZZP-002 /// HUATA - Open The Gates Of Shambhala
ZZP-006 /// HUATA - Atavist Of Mann

=================================================================

PROUD FATHER

Proud Father is an all tape recording project from the ruins of New Orleans, Louisiana, featuring noise bursts, tape collages, shoegaze-esque distortion/reverb, and analogue synthesizers.

Band website.

Bandcamp page.

ZZP-005 /// PROUD FATHER - Hearu Shi No Proud Father

=================================================================

RESONANCE OF SPIRAL

Hailing from Japan, RxOxS deliver a sick mix of indus, hardcore, noise and dope beats. It's like a big melting pots of screams, screeches, samples, thunderous basslines, all tied together by a crushing drummachine. For fans of early ISIS, Godflesh, Tetsuo, Atari Teenage Riot etc.

Myspace page.

ZZP-003 /// RESONANCE OF SPIRAL - DEVBLU EP

=================================================================

ZALHIETZLI

ZALHIETZLI is the ambiant/soundscapes/no wave solo project from the guy behind Zugzwang Productions. That is to say : me. So you know it's good.

Bandcamp page.

ZZP-004 /// ZALHIETZLI - Sainte Rita

-REVIEWS-

Incurably Optmistic : "[...] Zalhietzli demonstrates a keen mastery of a large span of experimental and ambient musical elements and creates one of the most real, darkest sounding albums of the year that will stick with you."

Polar Sunspots : "[...] this release moves between subtle, unnerving ambience to noisy, jarring segments with dark samples."

2011-03-27T10:58:00.003+02:00

SMILES AND HANDSHAKES

OUR GIRLS
HUATA // FRA // Doom/Stoner/SatanPlay Loud, Worship Satan.
EMOTION OF LOSS // RU // Doom/IndusThe cold breath of concrete. Godfleshpress. Death is not yours.
RESONANCE OF SPIRAL // JAP // Indus/HardcoreTactical Dark Wave. From Hell Far East Noise Front. 2Man Cell Till Death.

PROUD FATHER // US // Ambiant/Noise/Tape manipulationSoundcollages & Tapescapes.

ZALHIETZLI // FRA // Noise/Ambient/SoundscapesZugzwang is Zalhietzli. Zalhietzli is Zugzwang.

OTHER SKANKS WORTH A SHOT

The Arm Of The Dirty RabbitPsychedelic Sludge Doom.
Cadillacs & DinosaursDrummachine propelled Hardcore/Grind. Previous project now defunct.
The ForksInstrumental Postmathrock Duo
HellisheavenDeath&Doom
KikurachiyoSketchgrind
Pretty Mary DiesFurious Punk Hardcore
Suffering MindGrinding Grindcore
Zmajevdah
Blackened Shoegazy Grind

PIMPS & BROTHELS

BOUE RECORDS

NIHILISTIC DISTRO

THE OUTER LIMITS

THE PATH LESS TRAVELED

WAY TOO MUCH WORDS

Core&Co Webzine

Cephalochromoscope

Fire On The Bayou

Incurably Optimistic

Polar Sunspots

Sore Throat, Nausea and Headache

Years Of Dust

OTHER PORNOGRAPHERS

Arvagna // M. Kafard

JCproductions

Headshot Laboratory

Lucie Inland

Julie N. Hascoët

ZeroPixelGrind

CONTACT

2011-03-27T10:58:00.001+02:00

For orders, trades, any questions or inquiries, get in touch via contact.zugzwang (at)gmail.com

If you are a band and you want Zugzwang to release your stuff, send me an archive or link, and I will answer you back. Here are also some little conditions if you want to be on Zuzgwang :

Your album has to have a unique handmade packaging. You can come up with and idea, or I work on it by my own, or we can work together. Browse the blog to get an idea of what I mean.
No vinyl, no cd pressing, too expensive for the label at the moment. K7 and CDr only (pro-dubbed or not).
I prefer limited quantities. It's easier for me to distribute, as I don't have that much connections at the moment. My share of copies should not be higher than 50 copies.
You get a share of the copies proportional of how much you helped in the funding of the release. If the release costed 150$ for 100 copies, and you payed 60$, you get 40 copies.

ZUGZWANG SHOP

2011-03-27T10:57:00.001+02:00

For your order, send an email to contact.zugzwang (at) gmail.com.

HUATA - Atavist Of Mann
ZZP-006 - Tape, 50 copies - (( Sold out already ! Reissue coming soon ! ))

First full-length from Britanny's fuzzed out doom-kvltists : Huata ! A one hour long mass of satanic, hermetic and ritual doom/stoner, led by the litanies of an old church organ !

Limited edition of 50 copies, with sick handmade packaging that will completely revealed soon !

Before buying, listen to the whole album here.

PROUD FATHER - Hearu Shi No Proud Father
ZZP-005 - Tape, 30 copies - (( PREORDER : 6€ ))

Proud Father is a solo noise/ambiant/soundscapes artist from the ruins of New Orleans, LA. Hearu Shi No... is a 90mn journey through lo-fi ambiant, cascading analog drones and electric shoegaze riddled with kaiju samples.

Carefully orchestrated chaos drips from your speakers. It floods your room softly, like a tide. Glimmering clouds and fuzzy swarms of drone angler fishes lure you in the depths.

Limited edition of 30 copies. The tapes are handpainted, and come in stencil painted resealable plastic bags. Each copy comes with a full size screenprinted poster, with an artwork by Zugzwang Productions.

More pictures coming soon ! Before buying, listen to whole album here.

ZALHIETZLI - Sainte Rita
ZZP-004 - Tape, 20 copies - (( 4€ ))

Zalhietzli (or ZLTZ, for short) mixes noise, ambient, loops, feedback, soundscape & various sounds manipulations. This first release contains three tracks, for 24mn.

Limited editions on 20 copies, with handmade packaging, yadda yadda, you know the drill by now.

See more of the packaging here.
Before buying, listen to the whole demo here.

RESONANCE OF SPIRAL - DEVBLU EP
ZZP-003 - Pro CDr, 100 copies - (( 6€ ))

Hyper-pissed off Japanese Industrial Hardcore ! For fans of early Isis, Godflesh & Tetsuo ! RxOxS drive their way into your cortex with their insane beats and samples and recondition it with thunderous bass assaults as the screams burn a litany of kill words in your subconscious.

As usual, this 23mn EP comes in a special handmade packaging. Limited to 100 copies.

See more of the packaging here.
Before buying, listen to them here.

HUATA - Open The Gates Of Shambhala
ZZP-002 - Tape, 66 copies - (( Sold out - Reissue coming soon ! ))

Special K7 re-issue of Huata's first effort "Open The Gates Of Shambhala". Coming soon with a special handmade packaging that unfolds into an upside-down cross !

Brace yourself for half an hour of a super-heavy doom/fuzz/satan combo coming straight from Brittany, France !

See more of the packaging here.
Before buying, listen to the whole album here.

This item is out of stock at Zugzwang Productions ! Contact the band directly at huatastoner (at) gmail.com to get yours !

EMOTION OF LOSS - Demo 2007
ZZP-001 - CDr, 12 copies - (( Sold out ))

20mn of sickening Doom/Indus à la Godfleshpress, made in Russia ! CDr, handmade packaging with lyrics insert & leather-like slipcase. Limited to 13 copies !

See more of the packaging here.
Before buying, listen to the whole demo here.

This item is out of stock at Zugzwang Productions ! Contact the band directly at in_dirt (at) hotmail.com

=================================================================

DISTRO

CD

ANTIGAMA / THIRD DEGREE / HERMAN RAREBELL - The World Will Fall Soon An We Will All Die Split (( 5€ ))

BODY HAMMER - Jigoku (( 5€ ))
Industrial cybergrind, with a lot ambiant/noise experimentations

DROG - Green Eyes EP - CDr (( 5€ ))
Pornopsychotropic noise, by Johnny UFO (UFO GESTAPO, LAMORT, The ZOMBOS).

FLOURISHING - A Momentary Sense Of The Immediate World (( 6€ ))

Experimental death metal/grindHABSYLL - MMVIII (( 11€ ))
"No-doom / funeral noise" sludge band

HUMMINGBIRDS OF DEATH - Show Us The Meaning Of Haste (( 8€))
Fastblast powerviolence, absolutely awesome

IMBROGLIO - Sleep Deprivation (( 8€ ))

NEGATIVE REACTION / RAMESSES - Split CD (( 11 € ))

PULLING TEETH - Paradise Illusions / Paranoid Delusions (( 8€ ))

SINK - The Process (( 8€ ))
Experimental drone/noise, comes with a cool packaging

WIZARD'S BEAR - Pure Filth (( 11€ ))
Sludge in the vein of Iron Monkey

xBRAINIAx - Deprogrammed (( 8€ ))
Furious, pissed-off grindcore

VINYL

$KRUPEL / BRUTAL DEATH - The Revenge Of The Rough Grind Calamari Rings - Split 7" (( 5€ ))

THE EARWIGS / LORD ZILLABLASTER - Alienoise Destruction Musick Now!!! / Lord Zillblaster - Split 7" (( 5€ ))
B-Movies Noise

FINAL EXIT / BLUDGE - Split 7" (( 3€ ))
No fluff, no tech, just grindOXBOW / KILL KILL KILL - Split 7" (( 5€ ))

JUMBO'S KILLCRANE / RUMPELTILTSKIN GRINDER - {Brown Slight Return} / Equipment Crusher - Split 7" (( 5€ ))

NESSERIA - s/t - 12" (( 8€ ))
Hardcore/Chaos/Violence from Paris

THROAT - Adult Situations - 7" (( 5€ ))

TAPE

GODSTOPPER - Empty Crawlspace (( 5€ ))
Suffocating noise rock, comes with a download code

OINTMENT - Satan's Sandbox (( 4,50 € ))
Sickening sludge, with members of KILSLUG

SHAMAN - Rituals Of The Rainforest (( 4€ ))
Over 30 minutes of nightmarish monotous noise. Blood red handpainted tape sealed in an envelope.

SUNFACE - Slash And Burn Culture - Tape (( 3€ instead of 5, as the B-side is a bit worn out ))

V/A - Tribute To Seaman Popeye - 7-ways split tape (( 3,50 € ))
Crazy comp featuring noise, grind, sludge...

=================================================================

SECOND HAND CDS

Buy in bulk to get a good price ! -20% for 5 items, -40% for 10 items. Shipping not included.

ALL SHALL PERISH - Hate Malice Revenge (( 5€ ))

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY - Mafia / Hangover Music / Shot To Hell (( 5€ each ))

CANDIRIA - What Doesn't Kill You... (( 5€ ))

DEMIMONDE - Mutant Star (( 5€ ))

DESTROYER DESTROYER - Littered With Arrows (( 5€ ))

ELECTRO QUATERSTAFF - Gretzky (( 5€ ))

FEAR FACTORY - Transgression (( 5€ ))

FREEDOM FOR KING-KONG - Citoyen Du Monde, Marche Ou Rêve (( 5€ each ))

GROSSO GADGETTO - Paranorama (( 3€ ))

HATEBREED - The Rise Of Brutality (( 5€ ))

ICED EARTH - The Blessed And The Damned (( 5€ ))

IMPLY IN ALL - Wonderland (( 5€ ))

INKED IN BLOOD - Lay Waste The Poets (( 5€ ))

KAIZEN - Sink (( 5€ ))

GUTWORM - Ruin The Memory (( 5€ ))

MEMFIS - The Wind-Up (( 5€ ))

METALLIC FALCONS - Desert Doughnuts (( 5€ ))

PLEDGE ALLIANCE - Trümmer Einen Zerborstenen Welt (( 3€ ))

THE PROCESS - Vultures Of Human Decay (( 4€ ))

TERROR - One With The Underdogs (( 5€ ))

TYPE O NEGATIVE - Life Is Killing Me (( 5€ ))

WITHERED - Memento Mori (( 5€ ))

V/A - Sumo Disentry (( 3€ ))

RELEASES

2011-03-26T21:14:00.000+01:00

(continuously updated)

Click on a release name to get more info about it. Links in the "Coming soon" and "The future" section lead to the band website.

COMING SOON :

ZZP-005 - PROUD FATHER // Hearu Shi No Proud Father (Tape)

OUT NOW :

ZZP-006 - HUATA // Atavist Of Mann (Tape // 50 copies ! Reissue coming soon !)
ZZP-004 - ZALHIETZLI // Sainte Rita (Demo tape // 20 copies !)
ZZP-003 - RESONANCE OF SPIRAL // DEVBLU EP (mCD-R // 100 copies ! )
ZZP-002 - HUATA // Open The Gates Of Shambhala (K7 // 66 copies ! Reissue coming soon !)
ZZP-001 - EMOTION OF LOSS // Demo 2007 (CDr // Ultra Limited)

THE FUTURE :

EMOTION OF LOSS // ZMAJEVDAH (split)
WHEELFALL (Tape+CDr)
WHO KNOWS ?

POSTZERO

2011-03-26T20:39:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone.

My name is Jyb, and this is my label, Zugzwang Productions.

Zugzwang will release extreme music, such as Doom metal, Grind, Sludge, Noise, Power Violence, Indus... and hopefully many more.

Zugzwang will release this music on CDs, CDr, Tapes, and maybe Vinyl, if business goes well enough.

Zugzwang will package all these fragile, feeble pieces of plastic you call records in lovely handmade packaging. Specially designed for each records, these packaging will protect them against the hazards of a life spent on the shelves of a record collection, and help them attain maximum raditude (and also get them not fit on said shelves).

Because Zugzwang loves you*, just like he hates 20-bucks-jewel-case-two-pages-booklet-records.

More stuff coming soon.

*and your money