With their deeply expressive ambient/post metal sound UK band Echoes are starting to stir up some very positive attention, their video of Leaving None Behind the introduction that has caught the notice of a lot of people. Now the band is poised to increase that following and response with their new three track EP With An Eye On The Shoreline & A Hand To The Sea. With an album planned for later in the year the EP is the perfect doorway to immerse into the heavy yet soul searching sounds of the band. It oozes quality, thought, and imagination whilst still challenging the senses firmly, a release that sets the band as ones to watch very closely.
Formed in 2010 the Winchester quartet creates a sound that has the flavoursome spices of the likes of Devil Sold His Soul and This Will Destroy You added to their own creative invention. The music is a heady fusion of harsh intent and majestic melodic provocation, the result something that is impossible to ignore whether it connects with the heart or not. It inspires thoughts and imagery whilst leaving blistered scars upon the senses with its caustic intensity.
Safe It Seems stands tall before the ear with stirring riffs and a delicious darkly toned bass demanding attention. Not 
over forceful the song draws one into its atmospheric mass as it gradually raises the intensity. The guitars of Karl Koch and Angus Cadden conjure and manipulate emotions at will whilst the drums of Oliver Todd drive the song steadily and firmly. With the ominous bass of Steve Tolloczko riding the ear the song envelopes the listener with a web of melancholic intrigue and sinister coarseness from vocalist Joshua Thurbin and his wearing growls. The mix works so well and lingers long after the last note dissipates.
The partly haunting Rivers steps forward with an emotive ambience that leaves one chilled from its ambient starkness and gasping under its full weight of expression. The acidic melodies shine like beacons within the blacker tone to give a vibrant and deeply pleasing feeling as it wraps tightly around the senses. With tumbling rhythms that tease and crystalline guitar sounds cascading throughout, the track is a masterful pleasure that ignites multiple emotions within and is easily the best of the three songs on offer.
Leaving None Behind is the third of the songs and another to mark Echoes as one very promising band. From a swooping subdued start it erupts into a thundering stomp through the ear with muscular riffs and rhythms interspersed with sharp and beckoning melodic charms. Another dark engaging bass line leads one deeply into the song as Joshua unleashes more deeply rooted emotion through his almost scathing vocal delivery. With an ethereal grace and atmosphere lying hand in hand with the imposing and taut heaviness the song brings a seamless meld of extremes, forging a complex and completely consuming experience for the senses.
With An Eye On The Shoreline & A Hand To The Sea is an impressive and very satisfying release that right now marks the bands as strong new blood for metal and sets an eager anticipation of what they are surely set to evolve into as a band. To be slightly over critical the release possibly could have done with some variation brought into the vocals. Thurbin is a fine growler that brings out the emotion in the songs as well as the music but it does have a similarity that grounds the ear down a little at times. This is being picky as the release is so good but this was the one thing that did raise a finger as to a possible improvement.
Echoes is a band your ears should meet, they offer something that is strong and inventive and in With An Eye On The Shoreline & A Hand To The Sea a release that leaves one keen to hear their album sooner rather than later. With the EP being a free download from their website there really is no reason not to bring you and it into an impactful and rewarding union.
Get With An Eye On The Shoreline & A Hand To The Sea from http://www.echoesuk.com/
RingMaster 27/03/2012
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