Spesimin is a Philadelphia-based Metal band. Blending monstrous riffs and horrific imagery, they concoct a sprawling realm that viscerally explores moral ills and the macabre mysteries of the mind. Equally heavy and infectious, Spesimin provides the cathartic soundtrack necessary for our uncompromising modern hellscape.
Spesimin came into being in 2019, when Punk-rooted Ian (Vocals/Drums) and Jazz inflected Alejandro (Guitar) bonded over their shared appreciation for old-school Thrash and Death Metal. Ian’s former bandmate Jeff (Bass) joined in 2020, bringing his love of Florida Death Metal and New York Hardcore to perfectly round out the band’s unique brand of melodic evil Metalpunk.
While fusing elements of Punk, Hardcore, Thrash and Death Metal, Spesimin often defers to Rock grooves and melody over blasts and brutality. The musically adventurous trio has recently refined their approach, transporting their precision riffing and primitive rhythms into slightly Doomier territory, incorporating its long-form technical elements, while continuing to explore deadly serious subjects. They are an anthemic anomaly of their own extreme genre.
The songs are personal and political, probing subjects like addiction, religious mania, the insidious violence of capitalism, and genocide. The result is something cerebral and classic, with gore-soaked imagery that grabs the senses, confronting the darker side of the human experience and evoking a story to be experienced by both musician and listener. The love of horror brings in the right touch of fun, a flagrant indulgence never shying away from the grotesque. Inspiration from horror literature such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and H.G. Wells’ The Island of Dr. Moreau fuel tracks of existential dread and bloodthirsty cravings.
From 2020’s Born In The Crypt and 2022’s Rotting In The Vine, Spesimin’s path of evolution has been clear, but 2025 holds a new chapter with a self-titled discography LP, which compiles their previous releases with their newest EP, entitled Skull Worship. Spesimin generates a pivotal new incarnation as the band’s first vinyl release. Engineer/ album cover artist Dan Angel created unique setups for the band to experiment like mad scientists, their operations polished with mastering by producer Arthur Rizk. Present all along, but fully realized by one of Dan’s drawings, the mascot in their mind was “Spesi”–a primordial fiend without a face, a disembodied brain with diabolical powers, ravenous for revenge against an uncaring world.
While writing and recording has always been their focus, Spesimin does not exist in a vacuum of studio time like samples in a laboratory. On stage, they embody the form of an unnerving and monstrous persona, a destructive unit harnessing punishing riffs and guttural vocals as vehicles for a deeper understanding of the many facets of the mind.
Proceeds from everything sold through us benefit Juntos. Juntos is a community-led, Latine immigrant organization in South Philadelphia fighting for our human rights as workers, parents, youth, and immigrants. www.vamosjuntos.org
Snow Caps is the musical project of Philadelphia songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Keller (they/he/she). Andrew’s deeply personal lyrics and bizarre, beautiful melodies combine to create music that transcends genre. Writing songs is a tenet of Andrew’s daily life that has helped them learn more about themself: they consider Snow Caps “diary music.” A friend once said that Snow Caps is music for anyone who has ever had a feeling.
Andrew has contributed deeply to various musical projects in the Philadelphia DIY scene over the years. She played guitar and viola in the band Hermit Thrushes for 14 years. He also collaborated with songwriter Emily Bate in the band Jonagold. They have performed with Folklore, Scott Churchman, Will Henriksen, Foxy Doxies, and most recently, Shanda. They are influenced by many fellow artists on the Philadelphia record label Single Girl Married Girl, who has put out four prior Snow Caps releases. Moondog, Philip Glass, Arthur Russell, and Kate Bush are also pivotal influences. Andrew’s first ideas for “Notes” came during a weekend trip to the beach with some friends in September 2021, the first time that they left the house for more than a few hours after receiving their first covid vaccination. The titles for the songs came to him while drawing, a recent addition to his daily art practice. The song “Lemon eye” was originally intended to be part of a correspondence project with Pittsburgh musician Brian Hecht (Radon Chong, Skinless Boneless) and although “Notes” eventually evolved into a solo venture, Brian’s musical influence remains evident in the compositions. In a somewhat dream-like state, while on walks along nearby Cobbs Creek, Andrew processed the ideas that would comprise this album.
Andrew started playing piano on their own at age 3, violin at age seven, and guitar in middle school. She learned more about avant-garde and experimental music through playing in the band Hermit Thrushes with friend and songwriter Yianni Kourmadas, which influenced Andrew to start writing their own songs. The first Snow Caps album, Baby Bird, was released in 2008, bringing together the pop sensibilities, atypical rhythms, and odd time signatures and soundscapes that would define the project through the next five full-length albums. An English major in college and avid reader, Andrew’s music has been influenced by literature, notably authors like Gertrude Stein, Virginia Woolf, Edmund White, and Elena Ferrante. Andrew held the position of senior editor at the literary journal Painted Bride Quarterly for almost a decade. Their approach to live performance was shaped by completing a Pochinko clowning workshop with Donna Oblongata in 2016. This month-long intensive showed Andrew how to have more fun in creative pursuits, leading to a more playful nature in viewing trauma and life in general. Mental health has always been an important theme in Snow Caps: Andrew was diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder (bipolar type) shortly before starting the project. Her music also deals with personal feelings on sexuality and gender along with ongoing environmental and societal collapse.
“[T]heir latest album, a ten-song cassette simply called Notes, feels oddly familiar. Notes’ version of pop music is warped but still potent” – Rosy Overdrive
“A mélange of personal lyrics not limited to the bizarre and beautiful” – Sun-13
“A rich, bodily experience that you don’t hear in other music. Refined, controlled, but still abstract and experimental.” -Daisy Jaberi (Suver, Shaggy Sample)
“Both haunting and joyful, Snow Caps finds beauty in tumult, creating sonic and emotional spaces that feel intimate and complex.” – Emily Royer, visual artist
“Tears warmer than usual, you laugh as they ramp off your smiling cheeks and hit the beautiful earth beneath you.” Brian Morsberger (Drums Like Machine Guns)
CONCRETE CAVEMAN RETURNS WITH THEIR FOLLOW UP EP “WAR BEHIND GLASS” OFFERING FIVE NEW SKULL SMASHING, BONE CRUNCHING, RABID SONGS SURE TO LOWER YOUR IQ AND MAKE YOU DRAG YOUR KNUCKLES ON THE PAVEMENT.
NEANDERTHAL WITH A GUN: DEEP UNDERGROUND AT AN UNDISCLOSED LOCATION, NOT FAR FROM WHERE YOU STAND, VARIOUS DARK AND DEMENTED EXPERIMENTS ARE BEING DONE ON REGULAR EVERYDAY CITIZENS LIKE ME AND YOU. TWISTED AND INHUMAN, THE DARKEST OF MANS CURIOSITIES ARE EXPLORED. HOW MANY TIMES MUST WE LEARN SOMETHINGS ARE BEST LEFT UNKNOWN?
DOUSED IN GASOLINE ( IRONY POISONED ): THE CAN OF GASOLINE BECKONS YOU ONCE MORE WITH ITS SIRENS SONG. HOW MUCH LONGER CAN YOU RESIST ITS SWEET SWEET MELODIES? WHEN ALL OF LIFE’S MEANING FEELS LIKE A JOKE WILL YOU BE STRONG ENOUGH TO SEE THE IRONY IN IT ALL OR WILL YOU BECOME TOMMORROWS PUNCHLINE?
BLASTED TO BITS: THEY SAY WAR NEVER CHANGES. WELL IT JUST DID. METAL PUPPETS PILOTED BY FLESH AND BONE TERRORIZE THE SKIES OF THE BATTLEFIELD. KILLING WITHOUT REMORSE OR CONSEQUENCE WHAT WILL BE LEFT OF THE MEN BEHIND THE GLASS?
HIJACKED NEURAL PATHWAYS: CONFUSED, DISORIENTED, AND CHAINED TO THE WALL. SURROUNDED BY NIGHTMARES TORTURING YOU INCESSANTLY. DRAINING YOU OF YOUR SANITY TO THE VERY LAST DROP. YOU WISH THEY’D JUST FINISH THE JOB BUT WHAT’S THE FUN IN THAT?
COSMIC CASKET: TRAPPED INSIDE A BOX DRIFTING THROUGH THE GREAT UNKNOWN ON ONE LAST FINAL JOURNEY. GRIPPED WITH TERROR AND FEAR DESPERATELY TRYING TO ESCAPE ONE’S FATE. WITHOUT A KEY ONE CANNOT OPEN A DOOR THAT IS UNLESS YOUR WILL IS GREATER THAN THAT OF THE DOOR
We know nothing is scarier than looking at your phone right now BUT For this most delightfully ghastly season, we posed a wicked little question to our favorite fiends—I mean, bands: ‘What is the one horror film that every unsuspecting mortal simply must witness?’ The answers, my dear unfortunate souls, have conjured a positively spine-tingling collection! Behold—a handpicked horror hotlist, teeming with obscure monstrosities and deliciously twisted deep cuts, guaranteed to make your skin start crawling… and perhaps never stop! So, light your candles, lock your doors, and prepare yourself… for the thrills that await below!
“Humans being hunted and killed for an alien fast food chain” Where to watch: Internet Archive, YouTube
A gory, darkly comedic cult classic where a group of aliens harvest humans for their intergalactic fast-food chain, and a ragtag team fights to stop them.
BIG BURLY: LET SLEEPING CORPSES LIE A.K.A THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE (1974)
“Can I just say Tobe Hooper? I guess I’ll have to go with Dawn of the Dead if I can only pick one.” Where to watch: Internet Archive, Prime
In George A. Romero’s iconic zombie apocalypse, survivors take refuge in a shopping mall, battling the undead and facing the consumerism that traps them within.
“All the practical effects and the plot are so cool and creepy and weird. Very very wet movie. Frank being all goopy and shit.” Where to watch: Internet Archive, Prime
A twisted journey into the dark world of pleasure and pain, where the iconic Cenobites are summoned through an ancient puzzle box.
A nightmarish, cyberpunk fever dream where a man’s body horrifyingly transforms into a mass of scrap metal in a violent collision of flesh and machinery.
“The practical effects are top notch. It’s my favorite example of gross body horror but still campy enough to be enjoyable.” Where to watch: Hulu, Criterion
A grotesque and tragic sci-fi horror where a scientist’s experiment in teleportation goes horrifyingly wrong, fusing his DNA with a housefly.
A zany and comedic sequel where the mischievous Gremlins wreak havoc in a high-tech skyscraper.
SPESIMIN: LUCIO FULCI’S ZOMBIE AKA ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS (1979)
“Right mix of fun and brutality. IF you want something from a different time period just to switch it up check out ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (1932)” Where to watch: Internet Archive, Shudder
A gruesome Italian horror where flesh-eating zombies rise from their graves in a Caribbean island setting.
A chilling urban legend comes to life as a graduate student uncovers the terrifying myth of the hook-handed Candyman, summoning him with deadly consequences.
As the deluge of bandcamp Friday begins we here @strange_mono , in collaboration with our trusted friends @blightrecords, present: ASSISTED LIVING – IS COMING
@asstdlvng is available now on the beautiful cassettes you so desperately need, coming soon on COMPACT DISC!
At some point alternative music started parodying itself/ But, for a time, alternative meant just that, another option from whatever the mouthbreathers were into; it meant underground, DIY, which, in turn, meant whatever the heck that meant. Assisted Living is a new band but they fall into that sweet spot, back when alternative was fresh. They took Chavez and Polvo, Sonic Youth and Butthole Surfers, Lilys and Hum (like old Hum), put them in a grinder, packed a very serious bowl and smoked ‘em. And what you8 get in your earholes is a daydream of those halcyon days: tone chyasers for the heads but fun for the hippies, a kinda pre-internet gauze on finding a band and falling for them deeply and forever.
Assisted Living boasts members who’ve done time in Ugh God, Nyxy Nyx, Sun Organ, Bad History Month and an iteration of Golden Apples, back when they were called Cherry. And, if you know any of those bands, you’ll know the pedigree with which we’re dealing here. There’s a Philly band slacker element that’s meant to remind everyone that Philly doesn’t give a shit, but its really good at not giving a shit.
Assisted Living is from the muddy banks of the Schuylkill. Drew Saracco, Shane Moore, Jesse Kennedy & Dylan Larkin all played instruments.
Webb Chapel operates on impulse, chance, and what sounds right. Since 2022’s Moverama, the project’s freewheeling approach to tape recording has yielded an enigmatic collection of raw art rock and guitar pop unattached to any one specific sound or idea. Thus far, primary songwriter Zack Claxton has taken a singular approach to Webb Chapel by binge-writing in seclusion and steering clear of anything resembling a press photo. Now reimagined as a full band, Webb Chapel enters the studio for the first time; World Cup is the sound of a rapidly evolving project leaning into collaborative trust and doubling down on creative instinct.
Recorded and mixed over six days with engineer Dan Angel, World Cup was beholden to fate and changes in both scenery and personnel. “Alone at the Fair” was reworked after studio soundcheck, as listening back gave the song more context. “There’s something about hearing people playing things in a room,” Claxton explains, “Sometimes you’ll listen back and be like ‘What’s going on here?’” The immediate challenges of recording with a full band forced Claxton’s hand in more deliberate arrangement decisions while entrusting the band with making creative decisions themselves.
Studio 4 Vinyl uses a blend of eco friendly recycled vinyl that has been processed and cleaned. The repurposed mixes have been carefully selected to create one of a kind color ways that are environmentally friendly while still providing crispy clean audio quality.
Rachel Gordon (Nine of Swords, Greg Electric) takes vocal duties for highlights “Black Car” and leadoff cut “Springtime,” pushing Claxton further into the directorial role of “background lead.” A cruising intro prefaces the latter track’s crushing percussive backbone, capturing the full band’s urgency to let listeners know Webb Chapel is alive. Gordon’s restless wail is passionate and instantly gripping, setting the tone of side A beside thrilling uptempo cuts like “Pretty” and “Shipping Containers Anonymous.” With Josh Lesser (Blue Smiley, TAGABOW) on guitar and Christian Mailloux (Sweepers) on drums, World Cup finds Webb Chapel rounding out their live roster with some of Philly’s finest.
No stranger to a speedy recording process, Claxton was right at home with World Cup’s one-week turnaround. Webb Chapel’s home recordings were often written and recorded in one day, but World Cup marks the band’s fluid evolution from bedroom afternoons to coordinated studio sessions. The intentions Webb Chapel set with World Cup lay the foundations for the city’s best new secret; an unpinnable project, faceless and shapeless, cemented in trust and intuition.
All proceeds benefit The Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society phillypaws.org “A non-profit organization dedicated to saving Philadelphia’s homeless and at-risk pets. PAWS is the city’s largest rescue partner and provider of affordable, basic veterinary care for pet owners and rescue organizations that cannot otherwise access it.”
On September 6, Philadelphia-based band Webb Chapel will release their anticipated new album, World Cup via Strange Mono Records (pre-order).
Formed in 2021 Strange Mono is a charity record label and distro based in Philadelphia, PA. Specializing in limited edition releases, all the proceeds from tapes, and 100% of downloads, go directly to the artists choice of benefit. Webb Chapel has picked the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) which is a rescue organization / no kill shelter in Philly.
Limited edition vinyl available in two color ways. Ruby (Jewel-toned ruby with inclusions of platinum and red) and Obsidian (Variegated obsidian with inclusions of granite and steel). Pressed at Studio 4 Vinyl using a blend of eco friendly recycled vinyl that has been processed and cleaned. The repurposed mixes have been carefully selected to create one of a kind color ways that are environmentally friendly while still providing crispy clean audio quality
Obsidian Limited Edition Vinyl
Ruby Limited Edition Vinyl
Today, Webb Chapel is thrilled to release “Springtime,” the lead single from World Cup. The track explores themes of life, death, and rebirth. The song premiered on Post-Trash and is now streaming on all major platforms. Rachel Gordon, vocalist and bassist, reflects on the song’s creation: “When Zack [Claxton] sent over his home recorded demo, it was already called ‘Springtime,’ which sparked a theme of life and renewal in my mind. My experiences as a grave gardener at Woodlands cemetery further shaped the lyrics, imagining the life of Mary Brown through her garden. The lyrics are basically me trying to imagine this lady as a whole person with multiple roles in her life, while trying to tend to her garden and hoping she’s happy with it.”
World Cup marks Webb Chapel’s evolution from a solo project to a collaborative band effort. Recorded and mixed over six intense days with engineer Dan Angel, the album captures the band’s dynamic energy and creative instincts. Primary guitarist and songwriter Zack Claxton comments on the recording process: “The studio environment pushed us to rework and refine our songs, revealing new dimensions and creative possibilities.”
Featuring Rachel Gordon (Nine of Swords, Greg Electric) on vocals for standout tracks like “Black Car” and “Springtime,” Webb Chapel showcases a blend of urgency and introspection throughout World Cup. Joined by With Josh Lesser (Blue Smiley, TAGABOW) on guitar and Christian Mailloux (Sweepers) on drums, the album solidifies Webb Chapel’s lineup with some of Philadelphia’s top musical talents.
World Cup not only underscores Webb Chapel’s evolution from impulsive home recordings to deliberate studio sessions but also establishes them as a force in Philadelphia’s vibrant music scene. The intentions Webb Chapel set with World Cup lay the foundations for the city’s best new secret; an unpinnable project, faceless and shapeless, cemented in trust and intuition.
Out Now: Diuretic – Zero Days Without Incident (SM053)
Strange Mono is proud to announce the release of Diuretic – Zero Days Without Incident. The bands first ever 7″ packs a real punch! Diuretic is taking Grindcore to a new level, with unapologetic grit and tongue-in-cheek gore. This Philly four-piece combines an aural attack with dark humor in a quick and dirty package.
Inspired by classic influences along the lines of Napalm Death and Terrorizer, Diuretic takes on the flavors of Grindcore that are driving and melodic, with fun riffs to headbang to that filter through the “noise”. Vocalist Alyssa ventures into her first heavy band with Diuretic, taking the creative freedom of lyrics and expressively heavy vocals. Guitarist Alex is rooted in the Grind sound, with origins in Punk, and a grasp on the accessible ethos of the genre, residing in the philosophy that if Punk is characterized by speed, Grind is its greatest exaggeration.
Drummer Pete and Bassist Rose had previously played together in Cavemen (formerly Insane Earth). Rose is an accomplished musician and music educator, known as the guitarist in Sir Babygirl, and always equipped with the energy (plus an extra-long cable) to jump into the pit while playing live. Pete is a lifelong musician, affectionately nicknamed “Twisted” Pete, as the mild-mannered metalhead who listens to the unlistenable.
From writing and recording, to the style of their releases, Diuretic has always kept it DIY. On their latest EP, once the riffs began to flow, the idea of a workplace incident-themed album came up, and the band ran with it and never turned back. The result is Zero Days Without Incident, an absurd theme that rips hard. The band speaks to Grindcore’s dedicated fanbase, while also grasping those who are not fans of the genre, with intent to show them something they’ve missed in this niche, drawing them in to enjoy the music and the dark humor. Said humor comes about in the making of Diuretic as a fun, collaborative effort, where the band feels they can lose the “tough guy” attitude even while playing “tough guy” music.
High-speed tracks, the unique energy of Alyssa’s vocals standing out in a maledominated genre, and the ripping Grindcore sound of Diuretic all give a punch-to-theface impact you won’t soon forget.
Jonathan, an experimental guitarist from Eugene, Oregon, describes his style as “founded in the navigation of impermanence”. Comparisons can be made to the 60’s and 70’s American Primitive movement out of California, yet Jon’s work is a singular and unique take on the genre. Embracing the freedom of play pioneered by American roots music, Jon embraces life’s transitional nature in his compositions, displaying an emotional urgency that adds something fresh to a genre primarily dominated by technicality.
Inheriting an Alvarez classical guitar at the age of 12 from his mom, Jon always sought to convey the same feeling with one guitar that one gets from listening to early Sonic Youth. In 2005 living in San Francisco, Jon saw the original Akron/Family lineup perform their own material as well as back up Michael Gira as Angels of Light. “It was the first time I saw anyone convey the same power and freedom as Sonic Youth with acoustic and hollow body guitars”, Jon recalls. That performance set the course for Jon to spend years woodshedding behind the scenes while playing in numerous bands eventually culminating in the ultra jammy United Waves. After a couple of limited releases on acetate, everyone moved on and Jon became obsessed with minimalist art and solo guitar music.
“These songs were recorded live and at home between January of 2023 through January of 2024. I would like to thank Dan Timlin and Strange Mono Records, Sims Hardin, Jet Johnson, Matt Janney, Fern, His His, Westhead, my kids, and last but not least Nicole Stefanek.” – Jon
“I made Glen Providence over the course of roughly one year. Some songs are over a decade old and I took some time to retweak them and make them into something new. The record deals a lot with loss but also perseverance through depression and trying to see the absurdity in everything.
This is getting harder to do as I get older but it is necessary to do in order to stay sane. If I didn’t make music I would probably end up being a vagrant or a normal person (which is worse in my opinion)
Music is the only healthy tool of communication I have because I hadn’t developed any other coping mechanism besides reading (which just takes my mind off the sad thoughts) or art.
Everything else seems to be overwhelming for me sometimes but I know have to strap myself to the mast and attempt to achieve something.
I think I will keep making these silly records until my mortal coil is brushed off the earth, and it’s the only way I can make some sort of mark or connection that I was here and I did something.
Anywho, I hope that if you’re reading this that you are doing ok, that you’re happy and healthy, and trying to pass that along to everyone else. I may never earn a dime doing this nonsense but at least | will be happy.” – Paul
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