North Seasons – Eyes For The Blind EP

By RingMaster Review on January 21, 2015 • ( 0 )

Photo: Luke Million

Even with the post and melodic hardcore scene being as vibrant as ever, with some impressive bands releasing similarly potent propositions over certainly 2014, personal tastes have come to a point where they need something more than just great angst harsh vocal roars and skilfully emotive atmospheric sounds to stand out and ignite the emotions. There is want of real inventiveness and rigorous unpredictability making demands on the genre and its exponents, a requirement UK band North Seasons and their Eyes For The Blind satisfies with ease. Their debut EP is a blistering and striking adventure which never allows expectations a footing or attention to develop wander lust as it unveils its web of fascinating ideation and sonic hostility. It is not the perfect proposition either which such its strengths and imagination, only breeds an excited anticipation for the growth and evolution of the band ahead.

Newcastle upon Tyne hailing, North Seasons consists of five members said to have come together from very different musical backgrounds to “breathe new life into a rather tired scene.” That diversity would certainly explain and inspires the exploration fuelling each track on Eyes For The Blind, a release recorded in one of the band’s bedroom, to the angst of their neighbours you suspect such its force and roar. Released via LA based record label Kill/ Hurt Recordings, who the quintet recently signed to, the EP is a fresh and intriguing voice in a lively melodic hardcore scene.

A haunting and heavily shadowed ambience provides a brief intro to the release, luring ears and thoughts into the following tempest of Silhouettes. Also a recent single for the band, the song is 1476090_379723218852764_6836217005933357258_n a swiftly imposing and threatening stroll of predacious rhythms and corrosive riffs squalled over by the raging tones of vocalist Harvey Tuck. It is an impressive start but arguably one you might expect in texture, though already there is a feel of adventure and daring to the song. With great clean vocals from guitarist Mattie Turner tempering the threat of Tuck and riffs, the song is soon a maelstrom of endeavour and provocative twists. Meshuggah kissed riffs and spicy grooves add to the increasing drama of the song but just as potent is the slip into calmer waters where the outstanding dark bass bait of George Collings and equally predatory beats from Kris Quinn are giving clarity to cast their gripping coaxing before the guitars of Turner and Elias Jamous return alongside Tuck’s raw passion and turn up the earlier furnace of sound and emotion.

The song is breath-taking and attention binding, powerfully backed by the following A New World Order. The second song is straight away raging under an initial restrained breath, a protestation given the floor on the back of a tide of hungry riffs and rhythmic intimidation. Tuck spills animosity with every caustic syllable he shreds but with a canvas of staggered beats and guitar thrown hostility, there is a different shade shown to the conflict bringing immediate variety to the release. Though the song lacks the startling uniqueness of its predecessor, the song is a pleasing protagonist setting up the turbulence of Bitter perfectly. This is a song which took time to convince and still lies uneasily in places but it is sculpted in an imagination and invention which can only be applauded and admired. Opening with an electronic seeded emotional wasteland of sound over which Tuck vents with a more spoken word delivery, the track seeps into cavernous shadows and emotional turmoil sound-tracked by stalking rhythms and guitar causticity. It is a challenge which only adds to the EP’s weight but not yet as persuasive as the earlier songs and next up Good News. Clean vocals bring this into view on a sonic caress before it all develops a rawer edge as both singers unite to shape and colour the melodic landscape of the song. It is scenery soon slipping its restraint and stomping with metallic ferocity and rugged enterprise, though it still embraces the charm and radiance which ignited the initial tempestuous thrust of the track.

The final pair of songs re-ignites some of the ingenuity that marked out Silhouettes before. Never Forget This is first, merging a melodic croon and bloodthirsty intensity as it ignites air and ears with creative fury and atmospheric soulfulness. Vocally, the track is not as strong and impacting as elsewhere but with more fluid twists than a maze in its invention, it makes a pleasing and tantalising proposal before the EPs title track provides its impassioned fury of uncompromising aggression and mouth-watering invention. Getting imaginatively wilder and more bedlamic as it reaches its biggest triumph in the blaze of its finale, the track is an excellent and compelling end to a similarly impressing release.

Eyes For The Blind is a thoroughly enjoyable and powerful platform for North Seasons to dig deeper into the invention and brave songwriting which you just sense is there waiting inside them. Not faultless but undeniably impressive it declares exciting times ahead for them and us.

Eyes For The Blind is available now via Kill/Hurt Records and for free. For info go to www.facebook.com/northseasonsuk

http://www.northseasons.co.uk/

RingMaster 21/01/2015