And just like that — another month gone, another page turned on the calendar. At long last, it’s looking like winter might eventually come to an end. But that’s about as much optimism as you’re likely to get from me right now, because it’s Monday, and well, (gestures vaguely at the state of the entire world right now).

I was actually planning to publish this last week, since the newer of the albums discussed here just came out the prior Friday, and I just learned about it that day via a Bandcamp notification for the band. By the way, life advice, make sure you check the box for notifications when you buy stuff on Bandcamp — I used to depend on record label (and PR company) mailing lists for everything, but artists bounce around so much (or sometimes will release a single or even a new album independently) and I can’t tell you how often I hear something based on a Bandcamp notification that I would’ve completely missed otherwise.

Anyway, I was saying, so my intent was to get this published last Monday but you know how sometimes work happens or life happens or shit happens. So yeah. But here we are now: two records of high-quality Basque hardcore. Enjoy!

Vibora – Zaldi Beltza (Zegema Beach Records, 29 September 2023 / Through Love Records, 22 March 2024)

Vibora – Egin Ez Dugun Guztia (Zegema Beach Records / BCore Disc, 20 February 2026)

* * *

Vibora (which means “Viper” in Basque) put out their album Zaldi Beltza (“Black Horse”) in the latter half of 2023, although I wasn’t aware of it at the time. It was only when German label Through Love added it to their catalog in 2024 that the record hit my ears (because, surprise!, Bandcamp notification from the label — I wasn’t kidding when I said make sure you sign up for those and PAY ATTENTION when they hit your inbox!); but once it did, it was an instant purchase, and ultimately it made its way to my list of the top 24 of 2024, as I was still under the mistaken belief that it was a 2024 release. Actually, it wasn’t until the follow-up came out last month that I realized my mistake, and it’s kind of too late to fix it now.

Anyway, Zaldi Beltza consists of nine songs; and while, since most of them are around two minutes long, the whole thing barely exceeds the 20-minute mark, nevertheless it makes quite the statement in its brief running length. For the most part, that statement is shouting. Lotta shouting. Vibora really puts the “scream” in screamo. The dynamic range here is relatively simple: from metallic hardcore, as in the panic chord-filled “Purasangre” (“Thoroughbred” or “Purebred”) to post-hardcore, like “Eraikin Zuria” (“White Building”) and especially “Ez Ziguten Maitatzen Irakatsi” (“They Didn’t Teach Us How to Love”) which each have thick, sludgy breakdown sections. Closing track “Otsaila. Bilbo” (“February. Bilbao”) is by far the longest — almost five minutes — and contains a healthy blend of both; perhaps a sign of things to come.

The newer album Egin Ez Dugun Guztia (“Everything We Didn’t Do” in Basque) contains ten tracks, with an average length closer to about 3-1/2 minutes this time, for a materially longer overall runtime. This release is bookended by “Egin Dugun Guztia” (“Everything We’ve Done”) and the antonymic title track, which probably has some kind of deeply philosophical implications for what falls between them — but I’ll leave that for the listener to ponder. What I can tell you is that here we find a bit more variety in sound and structure; overall leaning somewhat more post-hardcore than regular-hardcore. A bit of jangly guitar here, a smattering of blackened snarled vocals there. Occasionally some clean singing, often sludgy or doomy riffs. Lots of shoegazey walls-of-sound all around.

* * *

Zaldi Beltza can be found in digital format from the band, or on vinyl from their record labels (Europe / Canada).
 

 
Egin Ez Dugun Guztia likewise is now available digitally or on vinyl (in two different color varieties), from the band or either of their labels (Europe / Canada).
 

 
And one final note: those who live in the region may wish to check out Vibora‘s current tour dates, scattered all over Iberia.

Vibora: Bandcamp
Through Love Records: website | store | Bandcamp | YouTube
Zegema Beach Records: website | website (US) | Bandcamp
BCore Disc: website | Bandcamp | YouTube