Another three awesome EPs for us to check out this week, from country to melodeath! Let’s dive in!
Chloe Loader: Fearlessly Wild
The debut EP from the UK country upstart is a fantastic early 2000s style release! Opener ‘Head on Down That Highway’ travels big Ashley McBride or Reba vibes, while ‘Cowgirl Boots’ is a bit more a boot-stompin’ southern rock track. Meanwhile ‘Lesson From You’ is a fantastic, heartfelt ballad, as is ‘Last Best Man’. And don’t get me wrong, the other two tracks are excellent, as well. There isn’t a bad song on this; it’s a very easy 20 minutes of listening. Every song is fantastically written, having a very classic vibe to it. And Chloe’s vocals are honestly incredible, her power and range is off the charts, definitely making for a big highlight of the release. For a debut release this is amazing, and a very clear indicator that Chloe is going to be a big name in the UK country scene sooner rather than later. If you are at all a fan of the genre, check this out immediately! It gets a very easy 8.5/10 from us!
Torch Us: To Non-Existence
The Finnish melodeath band are back with their sophomore EP, following up 2024’s Derailed rather perfectly. It’s only three songs, but 15 minutes of sheer awesomeness. From the riffing to the screams to the incredible drums and melodies, it all works so damn well! It’s very much an early In Flames vibe in the best way possible! If you have even a passing interest in the subgenre, check this out immediately, as this is honestly one of the best shorter releases in it. I cannot pick a favourite track as they are all awesome in their own way, and everyone works their asses off throughout all of them. It’s a genre that really need a mainstream metal comeback by now, and this very well may be the band that could make that happen! I can’t give it any less than 9/10!
Of Concrete Gods: The Art of Suffering
The third EP from the stoner/grunge metal band comes a full two years after their (some would call album) Hurt EP. In that time the band have somehow grown into even better songwriters and musicians. This whole thing is a powerhouse of riffs and catchy vocals for a full almost half-hour. From the opener/title track to the heavy-punk ‘Diatribes and Disappointment’ to the more lighter, proggy closing track, it’s all awesome! It gives off as much early 2000s alt metal as it does anything modern, but all the sounds combine together perfectly to make something truly great here. It won’t be for everyone, but I loved this EP a lot and will definitely spinning it plenty in the weeks to come. If you are at all a metal fan, check this out, you won’t be disappointed! A very easy 8/10