An awesome collection of new EPs for us to check out this week!

Gareth: Bluebird

The second EP from the fast-rising Irish country star follows up his excellent debut just under six months ago. It picks up perfectly where that release left off, giving us another 21 minutes of incredible country-pop from start to finish. It’s insane that he’s only fully been on scene the last couple of years or so, as his songwriting is phenomenal and is honestly up there with any early-mid 2000s big name in the genre. It’s impossible to pick highlights too, as every track is just as good as the last! However, I do have to give a special shoutout to the duet with Joss Stone; their voices complimenting each other perfectly and it honestly giving me goosebumps! If you are a fan of a slower, more folk-edged contemporary country style, I cannot recommend this enough! It’s easy to see why he’s becoming a big name already, and I can just see him going up and up more with each release! Another incredibly easy 9/10 from us!  

Juliet Ruin: Regime

The third EP from the melodic metal band and long-awaited follow-up to Dark Water finally dropped today, and is yet another awesome release from the quartet! The bands post-hardcore/metalcore style is a breath of fresh air, a style not many bands seem to still do these days aside for the likes of Ashen Reach or Skarlett Riot. And, while it’s a completely different release to the previous in this article, it’s another that doesn’t have a bad track on it, it being impossible to pick highlights! Everything from the riffing to the drums to the insane solos is incredible. And the vocals… DAMN, *chefs kiss*. Both the cleans and the screams are amazing, Jess and the guys being all criminally underrated together. If you are at all into any of the genres or bands that I mentioned, or even stuff like melodeath, I cannot recommend this release enough! It’s criminal that the band aren’t far bigger by now, but this EP will surely put them on that path. It’s another very easy 9/10!

Emmett Jerome: It Ain’t Me

Another country-infused sophomore EP this week, this time from the Canadian Americana/folk artist. he perfectly follows up last years Rocky Mountain Son with this collection of rock-drenched country-Americana. From the awesome opener to the beautifully Zach Bryan ‘Bottle Song’ to the more blues rock ‘Write to Me’, there is so much to love on this thing. However, there really isn’t a bad track on it. Emmett’s vocals and lyric writing are the focal and clear high point throughout, and it’s clear we have yet another star in the making here. It’s a more chilled out take on the wider country sound than much of the rest of the list, but if that is your thing definitely give this a spin! A solid 8/10!

Alkemia: Alkemia EP

I had no idea what to expect heading into this EP. However, I’d have never been able to predict post-grunge but with more hardcore, stoner vocals, in Finnish! However, after some slight getting used to, I found myself really enjoying it! It’s has elements of so much different stuff, from the aforementioned post-grunge, hardcore and stoner, to more punk vibes and even a touch of death’n’roll at times. It’s nothing if not a damn interesting and FUN listen. Personal highlights are ‘1+1’ and ‘Kääntöpuoli’, but every track has plenty to enjoy from it! If you are into the heavier, quirkier and moshier side of things, this is well worth checking out! The band have a new fan in me and, with this being their debut EP, I’m super curious to hear where they go from here! 7.5/10

Noah Rinker: The Pines

This is a surprisingly epic release. While rather Americana/folk overall, like a Mumford and Sons, it also has a healthy dose of indie and even soft rock splashed in for good measure. It’s a style that, while probably done plenty before, still feels rather fresh in Noah’s hands. Tracks like ‘Tumbleweed’, ‘The Pines’ and ‘Matches & Gasoline’ are all personal highlights. His vocals and lyrics are honestly incredible. I do have to say, however, that while every track is good, they do all sound pretty similar. Thank god it’s just an EP, because I think I was flagging a little by this’ 22-minute length, never mind anything longer! But still, if you like this sort of music it is a fantastically solid release in the genre, and well worth checking out! 7.5/10

Ars Onirica: 2.5 Nighttime EP

Following up 2019s I: Cold and 2022’s II: Lost comes the I assume midway point before the third album from the Alexandra Sforza prog metal solo project. It’s an incredibly well rounded project, both the light and heavy moments done amazingly. From the distorted riffs and powerful drums to the more introspective lower moments, it’s nothing if not interesting. It’s a very easy 20 minutes of metal spread across 20 minutes, too! It’s really creatively put together too, with Dawn and Dusk bookending the release, and a three part ‘Nightmare’ track in the middle. It’s little creative touches like that that I really love! And Alexandra’s vocals, be it cleans or screams, are another big high point of the release. The whole EP just begs to be listened to in full, and very much rewards those that do. It feels like the perfect blend of ASP and In Flames. It’s sometimes not typically my sort of style all the time, but this is an absolutely phenomenal EP and one I will definitely be revisiting pretty often. I hate that I’ve only just discovered the project, but I really hope this means that he’s working on another album for the near future. For now though, this gets a very easy 9/10 from us!

Buffalo Traffic Jam: Take Me Home

Another slower, grandiose indie-Americana release, this time the second EP from the fast-rising Montana duo. Firstly, the vocals throughout are absolutely phenomenal, giving off big Shane Smith vibes in the best ways; the lyrics and emotional delivery giving me goosebumps on multiple occasions. Tracks like ‘Black Eyed Suzie’ and the closing two are big personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad track on the EP! I did, however, check this out off the back of the Noah release, so was a touch burnt out by the style by the end. Still, it’s incredibly well written and performed, and they definitely have a curious new fan in me! 7.5/10