Just tune in your ears to the sweet sound of cybergrind man. It's totally relaxing.

The Background

Finally! An actual anti-music related article. I could only hide under the 'all things heavy and hardcore' excuse to post metal for so long. Anyways, after seeing an Instagram post for the cd of Swallowtails "the truth about bridget," I became very intrigued with the packaging and its background. While not the first time I've seen a DVD case being used to hold a cd, it's still nice to see any kind of creative and distinct physical media packaging. I was quick to discover Vamonos Records after looking at Swallowtails page. Their legion of cybergrind and other noisecore bands caught my attention. So naturally, I went to research and write about it.

Vamonos Records

Vamonos Records is a Massachusetts-based independent record label that specializes in hardcore and noisecore bands. Some defining factors of them is their DIY sentiment and unique approach to physical media packaging. From what I've found, they started sometime near 2022-23. They seem to be getting good traction on social media along with limited releases of albums selling out quick on their website. I just love to see a great independent label with good punk ethics that seems to really care about the bands they house. They show constant and equal support for every release. However, one thing they've been posting a lot about recently actually dropped the day I am first writing this!

The band Live Longer Burn Everything released their album "Something you weren't meant to see" on June 1st, 2026. Vamonos describes it as something for people who hate billionaires, climate change, and love helping your community. Yes, the epitome of alternative views. Nothing wrong with that! Luckily enough the music is also just as great. It's geared towards post-hardcore with a slight tint of 2000s sass. It contains other unique characteristics like glitchcore inspired breakdowns and plenty of samples to feed your brain. Extremely passionate vocals, as suspected for any screamo album, along with surprisingly compelling guitar riffs presented on songs like One Wing to Block the Sun. The all artwork related to the album is credited to Ryan Peterson, (@punkrockeaglescout) who is extremely talented and has plenty amazing collage art under his belt. The band will soon embark on a greatly ranged US tour to support the album. Maybe I could even catch them near me in Denton, TX. I'd love to show my support.

Another band on the label that's caught my eye is Swallowtail. They are a solo grind act from Ottowa done by Jens Ulrich. Ulrich is also one of the members for the emoviolence band Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, which was definitely a cool fact to discover. Currently, the only project under their name is "the truth about bridget." The 11 minute ep is themed around the Bridget Jones movie series. It is a cybergrind project, like many of the others on Vamonos. However, the second bonus track on the ep switches up into a harsh noise track. To me, the vocalist oddly sounds similar to J. R. Hayes of Pig Destroyer. Which he is one of my favorite vocalists so no problem with that. For an anti-music album it's produced unexpectedly well. Let alone the fact it's an underground one man project. Like Live Longer Burn Everything there are also plenty of samples. Except this time they're all from the same movie Bridget's Jones Diary. Also note that this release is only on Bandcamp. Though you can donate however much you'd like to add the album to your collection. I think the album is definitely worth checking out if you're into more of the noisecore style genres. With this one your ears will be ringing for days!

Just one more absolute highlight for me is Mondrary. This was a last minute listen for me right before publishing. I couldn't help but add this in. They are one of the most impressive underground bands I've been blessed to listen to. They have perfected the frantic chaos and melancholy within screamo inspired post-hardcore in their debut album "No Better Than Man." Every song is balanced between panic chord and screeching filled hectic passages and the pensive breaks from the chaos. There are such beautiful vocals holding it all together before all hell breaks loose again. Many of the songs carry plenty emotional weight within the short runtime. And the screaming at the end of the closing track is absolutely gut-wrenching. Props to the guitarist for such dissonant yet compelling riffs. The production is clean and hollow, giving it that modern, evolved sound. This is exactly how genres should grow overtime. It stays true to the 2000s pioneers while still bringing new ideas and keeping up or surpassing with its own time. And that doesn't mean bringing any conformity either. No emotion nor brutality is spared. This is one of the most horrifying, beautifully crafted screamo/post-hardcore albums I have ever listened to.

Cd Packaging

As a physical media collector, I care a lot about all kinds of packaging for music. Whether it's alternate album covers, lp designs, or cd booklets, it's one of my favorite aspects about buying your own music. So naturally, I am very interested in Vamonos Records approach to cd packaging. Their page states that they carry a collector mindset when it comes to producing music. A lot of their products are limited custom made alternatives to typical music packaging. Think Discordance Axis, but with even more intention to their cds being in DVD cases. Hell, they even extend to game console cases like the PS3 and GameCube. They also do an occasional run of mini cds. Not too long ago they did a mini cd release for Told Not to Worry's "Hands in the Air!;" which all of the proceeds went to the LGBTQ Freedom Fund.

There's no saying why they choose to package them in different types of boxes. It could be nostalgic or aesthetic reasons; but nonetheless its cool as hell. The album art is usually adapted to fit whatever style it's supposed to mimic. They recently did a drop of 3 cybergrind albums using different cd packaging. The first is Swallotails "the truth about bridget," which matches the DVD cover for the 2000s romcom Bridget Jones Diary. Completed with fake positive reviews and everything! The third is Bottom Surgery's "Cold Summer" being held in a PS3 case. Except instead of PS3, it says BS3! Get it?? The third released is THECHEESEBRUGERPICNIC's "Nausea" using a GameCube case. It might be my favorite as the original cover fits well enough to look like a horror game. From what I've seen, the cases and prints are hand made and cut. Using real used cases from whatever disc it was originally for. This leads to releases being extremely limited and selling out quick. So if you can't get your hands on one, Vamonos still sells plenty other albums with regular jewel cases and great designs. Not to mention all the cassettes and records they carry aswell.

Cybergrind

Cybergrind is an anti-music style microgenre of grindcore mixed in with electronic elements. Whether it's a drum machine, digitized vocal effects, or just random noises. The name is pretty self explanatory. There is much variety in the bands involved that range in how close they are to true grindcore. One of the most popular bands considered cybergrind is Agoraphobic Nosebleed. Having a member of Pig Destroyer involved, they are much more grindcore leaning. But their earlier music still shows plenty of the "cyber" element, with full use of a drum machine and digital guitar effects. Another popular example is Genghis Tron, which makes more use of breakcore elements. But seeing as it is considered a microgenre, there is a much more prevalent underground scene. Most of which venture torwards the harsh noise and hardcore aspect. As written in this article, there are plenty of great cybergrind bands held under Vamonos Records. Bands like Swallowtails, Bottom Surgery, THECHEESEBURGERPICNIC, and others show how great active underground scenes can be. I very much admire Vamonos Records and all of the bands on it. One small discovery can lead you torwards a rabbit hole of amazing and promising bands. I'll be looking forward to what next they have to offer.

Tour poster for Live Longer Burn Everything. Artwork credited to Ryan Peterson (@punkrockeaglescout)

Album cover for "No Better Than Man"

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