The Pitch: A seriously heavy metallic hardcore EP from France's Anna Sage delivered via the joint effort of Dingleberry Records, En Veux Tu En V'la, Itawak Records and Vox Project. FFO: Harms Way, Botch, Jesus Piece
What I Like: Another must listen entry for fans of the genre. Anna Sage list a number of notable influences, but the inclusion of Botch seems particularly noteworthy. The band has a similar approach to riffs in their focus on stripped back, mathy grooves, noisy feedback, and melancholic atmosphere. This album gives me the same feeling as staying home sick and staring out the window on a grey afternoon. It resonates with the cold, detached bleakness of a cinder block... in a good way of course. And while the aesthetic of the EP remains consistent over the course of these 6 tracks, I appreciate its contortion into a variety of different pacings from the groovy "When Prophecy Fails" to the raging D-beats of "Rope."
Critiques: Nothing too Earth-shattering here, though I give this band points for having a little more signature to their sound with the varied vocals and dynamics.
The Verdict: Downward Motion is a consistently excellent hardcore EP that should please those influenced by the metallic and mathcore subgenres alike. Anna Sage deliver memorable riffs, effective vocals, and a number of songwriting approaches adding up to something you'll want to add to your collection.
Flight's Fav's: Last Dose, Goddess, When Prophecy Fails
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
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