Another great, heavy EP roundup this time around, with three awesome releases all the same! Let’s check them out!
Enquire Within: Elysium
So, putting my personal thoughts that seven tracks (even if one is an intro) is a touch too long for an EP, the UK metallers are set to release their brand new EP this coming Friday! Spoiler alert too, it’s fucking fantastic. The epic intro leads perfectly into the amazing, heavy single, ‘Seed of Destruction’. It’s the perfect blend of death metal and hardcore, and instantly gets the adrenaline pumping. It also has some awesome thrash elements and feel to it, especially when the higher, cleaner vocals come in from Acid Reign’s Howard Smith.
The same can be said for the whole release too, not just the opening track. songs like the Gojira-esque ‘Sins of the Feather’ and the more Trivium-like ‘Prison’ are also massive highlights, and they both follow the opener! And honestly, the final tracks are just as good, too. It’s one of the strongest collections of death (ish) metal I’ve heard all year, be it EP or album. This is a really special release, and one that I cannot recommend enough to any metal head! Whether it’s hardcore, death or melodeath, the band pull off each sound to perfection and have put out one of the best releases of the year, hands down. I’ve already listened to it multiple times over the last couple of days, and will certainly have it on a lot more moving forward. The band have quite the growing hype and reputation anyway, but this release will push them to huge new heights, it’s that good. I can’t give it anything less than 10/10!
ZERO ONE: Faults in my Design
The Scottish metalcore band return with a follow-up to their 2021 EP. The five-track release is heavy, catchy and fucking awesome! Opener ‘These Visions’ into latest single ‘Hollowed’ is a perfect one-two punch of amazingness. Whether it’s harsh screams or soaring, catchy clean vocals, the band personify the modern metalcore sound perfectly on this release, proving to be up there with the likes of Bad Omens and Northlane in terms of sound and talent. All five tracks on it are fantastic, but I think they did a good job picking the singles, as they are my personal favourites. While it is not exactly my sort of thing, I can respect the hell out of them and appreciate their amazing playing and writing ability. This may very well be the breakout year for ZERO ONE, and if it is, it’s thanks to this incredible release. They’re going to go far if they keep up with this calibre of release, and I already cannot wait to hear where they go next! 8/10
Perfect Sky: Hunting Demons
Described as trailer park hardcore, the band are on their 25th year active now, and show no signs of slowing down. And why would they, when they keep putting out music as awesome as this. Don’t get me wrong, the lyrics are a touch cringy, but I think that’s practically the point. And it’s about exactly what you’d expect from an older-school hardcore punk band. Heavy, plodding riffs, heavy vocals and an overall angry sound that drips with attitude. It’s hard to pick out highlight tracks too, as (as expected in the genre) it all sounds pretty similar. That’s hardly an issue when it’s this good and this heavy, and especially less of an issue on an EP than on an album. I also really loved the Iron Cross cover tucked away at the end. This certainly isn’t for everyone, but they play and write their sound so damn well, so if anyone’s into a more hardcore sound, I’d definitely be checking this out! It’s an easy 8.5/10