Rozz Magazine Edition Four

ROZZ MAGAZINE

Helloooo Rozz Magazine Community!

We are as excited as ever to bring you Edition Four of our magazine. This month, we got to interview upcoming hyperpop artist, MARiMari about her music, her style, and her debut EP that was released last month. We also got to document two incredible shows, one in Eindhoven and one in Utrecht (NL) for Microwave, the Dirty Nil, and Sick Joy, as well as for I Monster. Both were super fun to watch, and we want to thank these bands again for letting us put these shows in the magazine this month! Besides all that, we have the playlist as usual, as well as a few extra articles we put together. Looking forward to next month, we have some interviews with very talented artists lined up that we are very excited to announce soon. On top of that, we’ll be moving over to our very own website by the time that the next edition of the magazine is out, which is a big step for us, since we’re coding it all ourselves. Thank you again for checking out our magazine, whether you picked up a physical copy, or found us on Issuu, or if you’re reading this a bit after it’s been out and you’ve stumbled upon our website. While we run the magazine entirely as two people, we’re always looking for bands and artists to cover for articles, show write ups, interviews, etc and if you think that could be you, we’d love to hear from you! The best way to contact us is by email at rozzmagazine@gmail.com.

Also lots of cool things to look forward to next month! We’ll be covering one of Dirty Sound Magnet’s shows, as well as a couple of interviews we’re very excited to announce.

Cheers!

Mars & Hugo

the Edition 3 Playlist

A little insight into what we’ve been listening to here at rozz this month. from the distillers to microwave and classics like jim sullivan’s sandman and peter greens last fleetwood mac record, and many more

Weaponize Your Love Seven Year Witch

a“High energy, kick-ass, no nonsense music” from four fierce east coast rockers. Their newest album Vampire Calamity showcases their range and how much they’ve been working throughout the last few years.

XOXO - GEL

An undeniable staple of east coast harcore. When NME said that they were shaping hardcore in 2023, they weren’t lying.

Randy, I Am The LiquorFree Throw

Any Trailer Park Boys fans here? Either way, this is one of Free Throw’s most streamed songs, and for good reason.

Who You Are Mannequin Pussy

A “stay true to yourself” anthem from their 2019 critically acclaimed album “Patience”. The group also recently released their long awaited 2024 album, I Got Heaven.

Hazy bed bug guru

I’M IN THE MARKET TO PLEASE NO ONE Winona Fighter

An ode to the trauma too many of us in the music scene have endured. Excellently written, memorable but not too catchy, something you can mosh away the pain to.

Layers and layers of distorted guitar all topped off with indie rock vocals. The band began releasing music in 2022, and has yet to release an EP or an album, but we’re excited to see what’s coming next.

Good Guy Dream Nails

Games Stay in Nothing

Melodic shoegaze that packs a punch. Putting on Stay in Nothing isn’t just listening to a song, but rather taking a step into their world for a moment.

Because every femme in the music scene knows what it’s like to deal with the “good guys”. Dream Nails is revolutionizing the music scene for marginalized communities just one song at a time.

Float to the Top Microwave

One of Microwave’s most powerful, yet overshadowed tracks from their 2017 release. A bit different from the direction the band is going in now, but incredible nonetheless.

Anika - massie99

Hard to believe that this is massie99’s first ever release. It’s loud, it’s unapologetically chaotic, and it makes us wish they had more music out already.

Bleed - Jules Bonnot

Released just in time for Halloween last year, Bleed is a love song full of intense desire, longing, and obsession.

Dismantle Me The Distillers

Brody Dalle is arguably one of the most influential women of modern punk. But maybe that’s a conversation for another day. In the meantime, listen to Dismantle Me (and the rest of Coral Fang, for that matter)

Captain BoyfriendGreat Big Cow

Indie-folk-rock from Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles. Captain Boyfriend feels like spending a sunny summer afternoon in the park with your lover.

Please dont step on my rainbow tcov

While this song was released in 1983, it sounds like it could be the soundtrack to an old black and white silent film. with simple but great instumentals an anti establishment energy to the lyrics with references to George Orwell

Jesus built my hotrod - ministry

Probably one of the only songs ever made that could have “Bing bing bang a bang a bang bing bong” as lyrics and make it sound good. Distorted guitars and vocals, loud from front to back, honestly the whole album is worth a listen.

Hymn for a droid - ppc

Love and the human experience materialized through the loud, distorted, chaotic sound that we all know and love Psychedelic Porn Crumpets for.

Can’t cheat karma - zounds

“Stream of consciousness” lyrics presented with a polished post punk sound. Hearing this song, you can instantly tell what era this song came from.

The last time i did acid i went insane jeffery lewis

A five minute long story told with an acoustic guitar through the eyes of a man who had quite the adventure through his own mind on psychedelics. one of the great anti folk songs.

Sirens - iguana death cult

A track from Iguana Death Cult’s very debut release back in 2015. Their sound has evolved so much since then, but in essence, they have definitely stuck to their roots over the years.

Holy toledo - vundabar

The search for a deeper meaning in life, dissatisfaction with the ordinary, and more as told by our favorite Boston indie trio. This album may have turned 10 last year, but its content remains timeless.

Ummon slift

The title track from their 2020 album has a heavy, noisy, psychedelic feel, and even with barely any vocals, this song will be taking you through time and space for days.

Politicians in my eyes death

This album is truly one to behold in the world of punk. This track takes groove punk and overlays it with excellently worded commentary over the status of politicians in our world.

Ajan takana - mara balls

Singer and guitarist Mara Balls, previously known as the bassist of Finnish band Jukka ja Jytämimmit, began her solo project in 2016. Her 2017 album throws you headfirst into a captivating soundtrack, even for those who don’t speak Finnish

Sandman - Jim sullivan

In 1975, Jim Sullivan suddenly vanished somewhere in New Mexico, but not before leaving us with his legacy of two albums. Years later, his label created a compilation of some of his work, including Sandman.

Hell broke luce tom waits

One of the most raw songs from Waits’ discography, Hell Broke Luce tells the story of a soldiers’ career and how the government treats the people in the military after they’re done fighting the war.

Hate street dialogue rodriguez

With the Sugarman making an ode to the long standing battle between the San Francisco police and the hippie subculture of the 1960s in the infamous Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of SF.

Fighting for madge fleetwood mac

An instrumental beauty from the 1969 album, Then Play On. This song beautifully builds from a bright but relaxing to upbeat and noisy psychedelic jam quite ahead of its time

真 理 真 理

photos by stefan lakselvhaug

Microwave + The Dirty Nil + sick joy at effenaar (NL)

With their new album release date on the horizon, Microwave has set off for Europe, bringing the Dirty Nil and Sick Joy along with them. On April 7, they kicked off their month of tour at Eindhoven’s very own Effenaar Kleine Zaal, setting a promising standard for how the rest of the tour will go.

Sick Joy began the show, playing a mix of their older songs as well as their latest single, Hypodermic Sunshine. The band gave off a sort of stoic energy at first, with most of the crowd headbanging with their eyes locked on the stage, but once the opening guitar and bass riff of Talking to the Drugs echoed through the hall, it didn’t take long at all for the people in the front half of the room to bring the energy and form a mosh pit, despite

the room not having entirely filled out yet. Just as it felt like the crowd had warmed up to the band and began to build the energy up even higher, Sick Joy played their last song which brought the loud, bass heavy noise that we know and love them for.

As Sick Joy left the stage, the members of the Dirty Nil briefly walked on stage to set up their gear, before disappearing backstage for a few more minutes. When the house lights went down again, Luke, Sam, and Kyle all walked out, proudly smiling towards the crowd. “Should we do this, boys?” asked frontman Luke Bentham to his bandmates as he looked out over the crowd which had become more packed in than it was during the first set. The band began with

Undefeated, a song from their 2023 album, Free Reign to Passions. While the phrase “must-see live act” is quite overused in music, it would be quite the understatement when talking about the Dirty Nil. Within minutes of walking out on stage, it felt as though they had become friends with the entire crowd all at once, creating a warm energy and a solid connection with everyone who had come out to watch them play. Several times throughout the show, Luke slid on his knees with his guitar from one side of the stage to the very front of the stage to play a guitar solo right next to the front row fans, with the people behind them reaching their hands out towards his guitar. The Dirty Nil has been making music together for a while, and it’s easy to tell. Genuine good

chemistry between band members that anyone can easily see on stage is rare to find, but this band is an amazing example. Not to mention, the comedy break in the middle of the set about Sam’s unfortunate encounter with a baby on the flight to the Netherlands, concluding with “This next song is about sending that baby to heaven”. From Doom Boy to Stupid Jobs to Celebration, their set was a great overview of their discography as well, and by the time it was over, it felt like no time had passed at all.

“This next song is about sending that baby to heaven!!!”

-Sam Tomlinson (The Dirty Nil)

As if this show could not already get any more exciting, Microwave was next to take the stage. This Atlanta band is well known and loved by the modern rock community, and throughout the years, their sound has evolved quite a bit, showcasing their artistic capacity. Their set also reflected this as well, opening with Ferrari, a newer, slower song from their 2024 EP Huperzine Dreams. This was followed by another new song, Bored of Being Sad, but this one has a more upbeat feel, similar to their 2016 album, Much Love.

When bands are together for a long time, sometimes they all begin to look like they are not enjoying being on stage and sharing their music in person with fans as much as they did when they began, but this is most definitely not the case for Microwave. Each band member looked just as excited as the next to be on stage kicking off their first night of their EU/UK tour this month.

As their set continued into the warm Sunday evening, they played a few newer songs, including the title track from the Huperzine Dreams EP for the very first time live. From the slower, calmer energy of the new EP, they also brought back the chaoticness of the Death is a Warm Blanket album with Float to the Top, as well as Mirrors. As if their set already didn’t have something for every Microwave fan in the crowd, they played their top streamed track But Not Often to close out the night, leaving every fan in the room feeling fulfilled, carrying the excitement out of the venue and all the way home. While we feature absolutely incredible shows every month in Rozz Magazine, this is truly one for the books. First with Sick Joy’s simple yet heavy tracks kicking off

the night, to the Dirty Nil really ramping up the crowd’s energy to finally finishing it all off with Microwave, this show really left nothing else to be desired. (Okay, maybe Microwave could’ve played Lighterless, but that is genuinely our own critique here) This tour is only a few weeks long and coming to very selective cities around Western Europe, but for anyone who has the opportunity to see it, there is no chance that you’ll walk out without feeling the warm metaphorical hug of a good crowd, even better bands, and that connection between everyone in the room who is there for the sake of the music.

A BAND Called DEATH

Punk’s roots stem from the late 60s when bands were in search of heavier sounds and getting increasingly more angry with the state of the world. Bands like the Stooges and the Ramones laid the foundation to what punk would become, but one band was just a few steps ahead of the rest. The mid 70s marked the inception of an unheard-of visionary proto-punk band with an electrifying sound consisting of three brothers from Detroit. While they eventually got the recognition they deserve, it took several decades before the world knew the name and the sound of Death.

At the time, the bustling city of Detroit was seeing a major influx of people moving into the city in search of new work opportunities, however, that wasn’t the only thing keeping Detroit busy. The motor city veins may have been petrol but the heart was Motown. Their music scene was at an all time high, with some even referring to this era as Detroit’s golden age of music. Artists like the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and many more were bumping on every major radio station like WABX and CJOM.

In 1973, David Hackney on Guitar, Dannis Hackney on drums, and Bobby Hackney on bass began making rock history without even knowing it. These three boys were raised alongside their other brother by their preacher father and their mother who always had the radio tuned in to CKLW, a station which played just about everything. They were always encouraged to explore all different genres of music, which led to the youngest son forming a band with his second and third oldest brothers. This band became known as Rock Funk Express, soundtracked by instruments that the family purchased

with some settlement money. One day not too long after that, David got his hands on a record from the Who, which really struck a chord in him, so to speak. He would play this record over and over again, and developed a deep fascination with Pete Townschend’s guitar.

Unfortunately, the household dynamic took a turn for the worse when the father of the Hackney family passed away. This threw the family headfirst into emotional turmoil that no one could have ever prepared for. However, this death of his father in a noble act did lead David into a deep exploration of spirituality which eventually led to him coming up with the “Death” band name. While his two brothers were shocked, they played along with it. The longer they made music together, the faster and louder it got, which laid the foundation for the signature sound of the band’s more famous songs. With the neighbors knocking to keep that “whiteboy rock” down,“Keep on knocking”.

Revolutionizing just about anything will always come with resistance, and Death’s new take on music was no exception. The band took this resis-

David Hackney holding a rose in the studio

tance and anger into fuel to play their music louder than ever, as well as to share their music with the rest of the world that was just as angry as they were. Their next steps were to find a studio and a contract so they could record their songs. In 1970s fashion, David resorted to the music section of the yellow pages, which he ripped out and stuck on the wall. He took a few steps back, picked up a dart, and threw it at the pages. It landed on Groovesville Productions, and after some phone calls and meetings with producer/owner Don Davis, they began recording in February 1975 at United Studios. As the music went further into production,everything went well and they received an offer for a $20,000 deal, with only one condition: Change the band name.

Which got David in deep thought for a while, “Tell Davis to go to hell” he said.

Turning down this deal stirred up some rather unpleasant feelings between the three brothers, but in the end they would rather stick to their roots than do something they don’t believe in for some cash. After the final production stages, they used the master tapes to make five hundred copies of 45s which they sent to radio stations, record stores, labels, and just about anywhere else that could possibly get their name out there. Some radio stations did pick it up and play it, but without playing their cards well, it ultimately did not bring them forward in their career. After that came a long line of rejections, but thirty five years later, the band was finally brought to light.

The story of Death has unimaginable twists and turns, and is truly one that should be known by more people. This is only half the story, the rest of which is told by the “A Band Called Death” documentary, but of course there’s no fun in spoiling the ending here, is there?

corpse paint is... trending?

A recent collaboration between two major brands to create a corpse paint makeup kit has left many people...confused. The first notable uses of corpse paint trace back to the 1960s, and it has since then become a hallmark of the black metal subculture. But what happens when a collaboration of this scale uses it to sell themselves? The internet had a lot to say about the subject, with some social media users poking fun at the whole idea, while others have been left with a nasty taste in their mouths.

Alternative subcultures have been commodified for as long as they’ve been around. From fast fashion websites selling items they label as “crust pants” and “battle jackets”, to gothic brands like Killstar and Demonia, this is nothing new to the alternative sphere. The frequency of this does not make it a good thing, and from an objective standpoint it is often entirely going against the ethos of the subculture, especially when it comes to punk in particular.

Recently, e.l.f. Cosmetics unveiled their collaboration with Liquid Death called Corpse Paint: a coffin shaped makeup collection advertised for doing corpse paint, as the name implies. This has caused quite the divide on social media, with some saying that this is why alternative subcultures need to be gatekept, and others laughing at the idea of a major brand going after something as niche as corpse paint, saying that it’s all in good fun and that they never would have expected this to happen.

Corpse paint has long been a part of the alternative community, and is now considered to be one of the most identifiable aspects of the way that many black metal bands present themselves. The first few notable artists who began to wear corpse paint were in the 1960s, such as Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and Arthur Brown. It did not come to be associated with metal as much as it is today until the late 1970s or early 1980s when Mayhem and Sarcofago began to use it as well. In the late 1980s, it began to really take root in the Norwegian metal scene, but within a decade or so, many artists began to lose the corpse paint especially on stage because they felt as though too many bands began to do it, and it did not feel individualistic anymore.

In this day and age, the commodification of alternative subcultures has become quite widespread, and this makeup collection is definitely part of it. However, much of the social media discourse surrounding

this is not discussing the monetization of the black metal subculture, but rather the idea that this is pushing corpse paint to become popularized or a social media trend. Ironic that this is why most bands in the late 80s stopped wearing it, right? The counterargument that many have made against social media users who have been saying this has been something along the lines of “If you think this is why alternative subcultures need to be gatekept, you should try having some fun for once in your life”. Which to be completely honest, is hilarious. While evidently it is unfortunate that alternative subcultures are being commodified, this is quite a different case than for example, cultural appropriation. If a certain subculture speaks to you, or a certain element of a subculture is something that you really like, there shouldn’t be a problem with experimenting with that. However, it is also never a bad idea to do some research, or as almost all of these subcultures are music based, to listen to the music, but there is no need to take everything so seriously. To be a part of an alternative subculture is a choice, and while it is incredibly odd that this collaboration was not some sort of an April Fools’ joke, everyone has the right to attempt corpse paint (or not). While this collaboration was made by two major brand names, corpse paint is far from something that will become a microtrend that everyone will want to participate in, alternative or not. It is understandable why sometimes gatekeeping parts of a subculture feels necessary of course, but if people want to try something out, they should be allowed to experiment. For many of us, finding our personal style took a lot of experimenting along with trial and error, and that’s okay! In conclusion, the e.l.f. Cosmetics and Liquid Death collaboration is probably one of the weirdest ones we will see this year, and we’re not here to tell you how to feel about it.

While many black metal bands have ditched the corpse paint, there are still a few who still use it as a part of their live shows.

I Monster in utrecht (NL)

It’s dreamy, it’s ethereal, its stage performances involve insect helmets and giant projections of the moon; It’s none other than I Monster! Revered for their accidental mega hit single, Daydream in Blue, the Sheffield electronic duo have recently hit the road to bring their mystically strange live show to Europe and the UK.

Before all of the dancing began, Leah Rye took the stage to open the show with her heartfelt acoustic songs alongside her friend and fellow musician Esther Koolstra. Inviting the audience to sit down with them, they played mostly songs from Leah’s 2023 debut album, Symbiosis. Throughout this album, she touches on the depth that every interpersonal relationship has, as well as togetherness and solidarity. As she took the crowd through this gentle journey through her music, she once again invited everyone to stand up again for the last song in preparation for what was to come in the headlining set.

As Leah’s set came to a close, the crowd began moving towards the front of the stage, eager to get a good spot to see I Monster. The longer the crowd waited in between sets, the higher the anticipation and

excited whispers rose. Finally, it was time for I Monster to hit the stage. The lights went down, and a mysterious spoken introduction came over the speakers, filling the room with an ominous ambiance. As the projected visuals on the screen behind the stage began to swirl with psychedelic colors and patterns, Dean Honer and Jarrod Gosling took their respective places on the stage, each sporting an eclectic insect helmet, as seen on many of their album covers. Following them were Jenny Green and Hannah Hu, each wearing a beautiful vintage suit, perfectly suiting the feel of I Monster’s music.

This tour is mostly centered around the 2024 re-release of the Neveroddoreven album, which was brought out just a few weeks before the tour began. Fittingly, the band began the show with the first track on the album, Some Thing’s Coming, the lyrics of which also invited the audience to get off their feet and move, as well as foreshadowed the antics of the rest of the show.

Following this fitting introduction, the screen behind them depicted a massive projection of the moon, with the opening notes of Lust for a Vampyr echoing through the hall as the crowd cheered the band on.

It’s dreamy, it’s ethereal, its stage performances involve insect helmets and giant projections of the moon; It’s none other than I Monster!

From the superfans at the front all the way to the bar in the back, it was impossible to stand still at this show without wanting to dance along with their infectious melodies and vocal harmonies. Just a few songs later, they played one of their most well known songs, Daydream in Blue, and you can tell the audience was excited to hear that one live. As the song went on, Jenny and Hannah each picked up a bouquet of flowers from the stage and began handing out each flower to members of the audience during the lines “Daydream, I fell asleep amid the flowers”.

There’s no doubt that I Monster is unlike most other artists out there, both aesthetically and sonically. In fact, it’s difficult to say

how many people can truly pull off insect helmets while also wearing a suit. Beyond their stylistic endeavors, the band combines elements of so many different genres to create this sort of electro-pop perfectly suited for vampires and other mythical creatures alike. This experimentation and uniqueness is what brought their music to popularity in the first place; In 2001, they released Daydream in Blue, which has amassed over fifty million streams on Spotify alone. It was not the intention to write something that would appeal to the radio or to the mainstream, but rather just to experiment and have fun in the studio to see what they could make out of it. Even now, this track as well as “Who is She?” is often heard across

social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. All of this really goes to show that you never know where going your own way will take you.

I Monster is such an interesting act to see live, from their aesthetics to their visuals on stage, and of course the range of their discography. The way that their music alone got the entire crowd dancing so quickly and all enjoying themselves together felt like such a beautiful example of the communities that music can form.

To keep up with everything that I Monster is doing, you can find them on Instagram and TikTok @imonstermusic, and of course wherever you stream your music.

daydream, i fell asleep amid the flowers for a couple of hours, on a beautiful day

portray

KELDER SESSIES

Portray’s edition of De Kelder Sessies brought a basement packed wall to wall through a hot, heavy, psychedelic experience on April 6 at Uffie’s in Zutphen. While upstairs people were indulging in an elegant dinner, downstairs Svaun and Portray were getting the whole room spinning in a whirlwind of noise, sweat, and pool noodles. Before either of the bands’ sets really picked up, the crowd was already throwing hands and moshing. Bouncing back and forth between an atmospheric, psychedelic energy taking over the room and heavy riffs opening up the pit, this show took the audience through a journey of music, time, and space.

Svaun is known for their psychedelic desert energy, playing songs that can only be appropriately accompanied by a dry, barren wasteland and vultures circling overhead. Some of their songs create a huge contrast between the very heavy moments and the more atmospheric ones, leaving the crowd always wondering what is coming next. The crowd got to moshing before their set even hit its most intense moments, showing just how excited the crowd was to be there.

After Svaun played their final song, the thick, hot atmosphere in the basement dissipated for a bit as crowd members left the mosh to go outside for a cigarette or to the bar for a drink. This venue may have been small, but it had a very cozy and welcoming energy, exactly what you want to see at a small show like this. Soon enough, the crowd piled in before the stage; everyone from friends of the band, locals of the city, kids, older folks, and even people who had traveled from across the country to see the show.

Soon enough, Portray took the stage and encouraged the crowd to pack in close towards the band. Kids at the front of the room danced with their parents, people in the middle were moshing from wall to wall, and many stood in the back with a drink in their hand, watching the show from the safety of the bar. Like Svaun, Portray’s set also combined some very loud and intense moments with more soul-stirring energy.

In the middle of the set, frontman Dave Marvin walked into the center of the crowd while still playing his guitar, the whole crowd gathering around him. He laid on the cold basement floor as everyone let the psychedelic guitar riff hypnotize them.

As if attempting to resurrect him, the crowd waved their hands up and down towards Dave as he slowly rose up from the ground and returned to his spot at center stage to join the rest of the band to kick in the heavier parts of that song. Portray’s shows are always full of surprises, and you can never look away for too long because you never know what you’ll miss. One minute everything is normal, and the next, lead guitarist Bob is sitting on drummer Nele’s shoulders as they’re both pouring every ounce of themselves into their performance. This show also marked the live debut of their newest song, “Overloaded”, a fiery explosion of psychedelic punk sounds that could get even the quietest crowd up off their feet. While the band had some doubts about playing it, it can definitely be said that it was a crowd favorite.

Closer to the end of the set, Portray threw some foam pool noodles

into the mosh pit for people to mess around with. As the set went on, the whole room became a burning hot oven full of sweaty crowd members and pool noodles. Everyone was either in the mosh pit, or standing on top of the benches at the sides of the room trying to get a good view of both the band and the pit. While the whole crowd was a sweaty mess, there was not one person who walked out of that show without a smile on their face.

After Portray played their last song, the crowd split up either to go outside for some fresh air, or to the merch table to support the

Portray and Svaun both put on an incredible

bands. In a very heartfelt moment, one of the youngest kids in the crowd asked Portray’s guitarist for the setlist and a photo with him, a first time experience for the band that left everyone in a tearful joy.

show, and their music is available on all major streaming platforms. You can keep up with their future shows and other announcements on Instagram @portrayofficial and @svaunofficial.

contact info (the boring stuff)

Thanks again for checking out this magazine that we’ve worked super hard on! we are a two person team doing absolutely everything from designing the magazine, to the photography, to reaching out to artists and interviewing them, printing and binding the physical copies- yep, that’s all just us two. and we’re happy to be doing it! it means a lot for people to check out our work! you can keep up with everything going on with the magazine in between each monthly release on our socials below:

Instagram: @rozzmagazine

tiktok: @rozzmagazine

Email: rozzmagazine@gmail.com

to keep up with our other personal work outside of the magazine, check out our socials below!

Mars: @killingm0nday on instagram

Hugo: @hv_hemlock on instagram

next monthdirty sound magnet, great big cow, and more!