As ravenous and barbaric as a tornado but with the passionate insatiability of a tsunami, the Antithesis EP from Scottish metallers From Sorrow To Serenity is a striking ruthless ferocity wrapped in a scorching melodic elegance and rapacious imagination. Consisting of four merciless confrontations, the release is the debut of a band metal we will all be taking intensive attention of, if not now certainly in the near future as the Glasgow quintet build on their powerful and impressive entrance.
Formed in 2010 by the core of vocalist Fraser Smith alongside guitarists Steven Jones and Mark McInch, From Sorrow To Serenity have earned a formidable reputation for their unbridled mesh of metalcore ripe with flames of progressive, groove, and technical metal; a colossal recipe which has fuelled their intensively impacting live show. Sharing stages with the likes of Memphis May Fire, Bleed From Within, Stray From The Path, The Color Morale and many more across Scotland, the band has continued to impress and strengthen their stature and explosive presence, bassist Andrew Simpson and drummer Matthew Cowie completing the potent line-up challenging and invigorating the senses. Following their recent successful showing at Techabilitation where the band played with the likes of Meta-stasis, Nexilva, Visions, and Aeolist, the Antithesis EP is the next heavy swipe at the nation, one you can only imagine leading the band to the strongest positive responses.
The title track instantly tells you all you need to know about From Sorrow To Serenity, Antithesis emerging from a sonic brew 
designed by the guitars to launch a savage and riveting exploitation of the band’s craft and maliciousness. The track is a carnivore, riffs and rhythms a ravaging creative spite cloaked in a sonic seduction which scorches as it tempts. The technical enticement is equally as predacious and addictive, the band coaxing out a rapturous hunger for its towering and erosive presence whilst the vocals of Smith squall with as much animosity as that provided by the rhythms. It is a hypnotic fury completed with twisted grooves which swing with a compelling swagger from within the inventive and exciting maelstrom. The outstanding track never relinquishes being the finest moment on the release though it is constantly challenged by the remaining trio of songs.
The following Synergy approaches the ears with an electro cast ambience, an industrial lilted embrace not long alone as djent splintered rhythms and grooves encroach and prowl around the immersive evocative canvas. Into its full storm the song has less clarity to its individual elements than the first song but spawns intensive sonic smog which consumes and ignites the senses once again. It is a viscous encounter but one which flows with enticing ease as it intertwines aggressive rabidity and emotive suffocation into its exhausting melody stretched torrent.
Dead Reign is another to lend a gentle, in this case crystalline bait to lure the listener into a subsequent voracious furnace of intensity and emotional savagery. The track is a hypnotic and ferocious slab of sonic alchemy, an ever evolving passage of electronic shards and kisses, Middle Eastern promise, and melodic imagination which steals the passions within the similarly infectious violent abrasiveness and straight forward voracity. It is a masterful violation, a stunning and inventive blend of extremes and opposites merged into a sonic narrative which rivals the opener and is debatably the most creative confrontation on the EP.
The release is completed by i9, a track featuring Nexilva vocalist Gaz King. It is a barbarous challenge for the senses, the guitars and bass at their most uncivil yet refined on the release and the rhythms a blur of animosity and skilled intimidation. The track does not neglect the melodic hues the band has already shown they are accomplished at exploring either, the whole result a scintillating provocation for body and mind which backs up the immense promise and presence of the band.
There is little to temper the praise for Antithesis with, a slight lack of diversity from the vocals and a production which does submerge their delivery within the sonic tempest a little too much at times the only thing to be picky about. The EP is a powerful and incredibly weighty persuasion which declares From Sorrow To Serenity as a band to expect and anticipate a dominate future from.
The Antithesis EP is available as a buy now name your price digital release from http://fromsorrowtoserenity.bandcamp.com/album/antithesis-ep
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8/10
RingMaster 28/11/2013
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