Clamorous, aggressive, and unapologetically abrasive, the sound of Welsh outfit Eva Bartok is a tempest of intensity and emotion yet an unapologetically contagious assault which makes their self-titled debut EP one impressive trespass. Offering four tracks which infest their surroundings like a primal storm, the release is a punk, metal, and noise bred cauldron of enterprise as virulent as it is cacophonous.
Eva Bartok breeds their tracks from the dissonance which shapes the world today, personal and broader issues from mental health to politics sparks to themes explored. It makes for a breath alone which takes no prisoner, defiance and resolve echoed in the tempest of sound joining the creative emprise.
The EP opens up with Lies and Trickery, the song almost taunting attention as Chris Hampson’s guitar wraps sonic wires around the waiting to erupt but still potent rhythmic presence of bassist Rob Pascoe and drummer Mikey Brown. Within another breath they do, a rousing and concussive mix as skilfully induced as the web of sonic discord and imagination around their forceful incitement. Hampson’s vocals are just as invasive and rousing, the track a swiftly tempestuous harassment of the senses as unpredictable and inventive as it is an ear crowding predator.
Chess Club is next up and immediately ensnared the appetite in its mesh of guitar borne threads and unscrupulous rhythmic manipulation. There is order in its disorder, vocals again a voracious antagonist within similarly bred sounds and all together making for an invasion of temptation and feral catchiness.
There is no escaping thinking of bands such as Converge, Every Time I Die, Refused and at times At the Drive-In across the EP but as shown by Mexico, Eva Bartok’s sound is unmistakably distinct and individual to them. The third track lingers back slightly as it brews its textures and sounds, subsequently launching at the listener in a rapacious clamour again craftily composed and venomously unleashed. Twists and turns come with relish and pass with lingering impact, the whole bullish storm a rousing incitement and as all tracks revealing the depth of the invention behind it by the listen.
Concluded by the caustic but welcomingly flirtatious squall that is Houses, another song which dances with the senses as it devours them and ignites the imagination with its entanglement of almost spiteful ideation and fevered enterprise, the Eva Bartok EP more than realises the promise of the band’s previous songs and sets a whole new agenda in reputation and spiky adventure.
The Eva Bartok EP is self-released on August 23rd.
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Pete RingMaster 20/08/2019
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
Possession opens up with its title track and an ear harassing riff, a guitar almost teasing the senses knowing a barrage of intensity and sound is close behind. Once landed, the rapacious wave springs a Pantera-esque groove and in turn a delicious discord woven lure as all the while Leo’s snarling, throat grazing clean vocals provoke and direct. In moments the track unleashes a tenacious assault of ire, defiance, and craft, rhythms continuing to harass and arouse as guitars and vocals strike and enjoyably agitate, the outstanding encounter alone thrusting Overt Enemy firmly on the radar of appetite and pleasure.
Things only grow more compelling and contagious as 2Fives and Twos sets its creative trap, it too another song which needs mere seconds to grip ears and appetite as Cordery winds addictive melodic wires around both. Punk and rockabilly soon converge on the rock ‘n’ roll instincts of the song, its tenacious gait and contagiousness a quick infestation of body with the Pauline Murray-esque tint to Sonic’s voice icing on the delicious cake.
It is a thrilling start which Memories That Last follows and backs with its own inferno of rapacious sound and ear grabbing imagination. More uncompromising by the minute the track provided a quickly testing and swiftly rewarding proposal as imagination fuelled its every invasive throe before the song drifted away and the predatory presence of The Metal forcibly prowled. It was an initial stalking which subsequently erupted into a ruthless trespass, its stroll continuing to menace and bully as the band’s imagination flourished and shaped one enthralling assault marked with individual prowess.
with its contagion loaded enterprise. Already a rapaciously infectious proposal, the new take leads it straight onto the dance-floor with an eighties fuelled rapture in its eager motion and lively animation.
The Killers has been suggested as a reference to the band’s music but straight away as What For? strolls through ears and especially as it settles into its eager almost teasing temptation an Inspiral Carpets like hue rises to the fore. Even so it is simply a single flavouring in the band’s indie rock audacity as the guitar and vocals of John Hewitson swing across the rhythmic enticement of bassist Craig Morrison and drummer Robert Lang. There is a great grumble to that bass which earths the loftier melodic threads which spring from the guitar while Lang’s beats just enjoyably nag throughout.
Darker hues line next up Something Beautiful, a track though instantly just as contagious as its predecessor even as its relatively calmer contemplation and attack leads to thicker intensity and energy. The delicious throaty tone of bass is just one compelling aspect to the eager encounter, vocals and guitar enterprise as magnetic whilst skilfully backed by Hartop’s manipulative rhythms; imaginative twists and turns adding to the track’s pure infectiousness.
