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
It is an outstanding start which swiftly aroused a keen appetite for things to come; one soon reinforced by the following In Between Worlds. It too springs from a raw sonic misting into a virulent attack, its swing eating at instincts and psyche with viral tenacity whilst spreading another exploration of stark, ravenous times. There is more of a noise infested rock ‘n’ roll attack to its post punk, bass and drums a rapacious incitement upon which guitars and keys spread a toxic glaze while escalating the infectious and fractious catchiness of the song.
The following The Best Is Yet To Come is just as quickly and intrusively gripping. Featuring Cancer Bats front man Liam Cormier, the track simultaneously grumbles and seduces in voice and sound, the rhythmic trespass of drummer Julien Chanel driving its intent and forceful urgency as the guitar and melodic aspect of the vocals bring a ferocity tempering enterprise. As its predecessor, it demands and commands willing attention with adventure and imagination.
Breathe starts things off, the song instantly dousing ears in a tide of melody infused riffs as Freeth’s distinctive voice provides an expressive growl to already appetising proceedings. Dropping into mellower moments with keen hooks the track continues to grab attention, the calm leading to rousing crescendos which seem to become more inflamed with every outburst. With rhythms commanding and backing vocals eager, there is little escape from the song’s temptation, its more tempestuous air adding greater bait to devour before Atlas strolls through calmer waters. It is a restrained climate though still holding a volatile air in its surroundings, shadows which at times ignite with punkish tenacity and energy around equally controlled vocals and melodic persuasion.
The following Mmm Cheque Please! makes a just as striking entrance, another single strain of guitar bait making the first lure, rampant beats and Luke’s inviting vocals the next before it all blooms into another infectious canter. Daryl’s beats resonate as they land and Tom’s basslines grumble as much as they seduce while Mary and Luke share a tapestry of hooks and melodic endeavour which only leads to a greater appetite for song and release. Admittedly the track lacks the final spark which ignites its predecessor but leaves pleasure bubbling eagerly as does Dirty Weekend with its more restrained but wholly magnetic presence. Repeating a prowess which confirms Hello Bear masterful at creating big choruses and ripe hooks which simply infest the psyche, the song lays lustfully upon the senses.
It opens up with It’s Morphine Time, a song which descends on the senses like a tempestuous challenge from its first breath, but a threat just as quickly seducing ears and appetite as riffs and rhythms launch their hungry persuasion. In no times wiry grooves are entangling song and listener while anthemic vocal roars across the band find a great Beastie Boys feel to them. As it proceeds, the scent of bands such as Rage Against The Machine and Refused also colour the encounter, with frontman Simon Roach taking vocal charge as the barbarous rhythms of bassist Sam Leworthy and drummer Mat Capper badger and incite. It is a virulent infectious affair with the enterprise and fiery grooves of guitarists Ian Chadderton and Josh Mortazavi arousing, aiding and shaping the songs twists and turns as its metal/heavy rock antagonism and inescapable catchiness fuels pleasure, the song alone surely ensuring the EP’s certain success.
All the same it is a powerful and dramatic start to Vessels continued by the Sikth meets Incubus personality of Alarm. Once again, the guitars dance with invention and craft as rhythms crowd the senses with their hungry shadows, all colluding to burn fiercely around the equally inflamed and rousing tones of Forster. The track enjoyably blisters on the ear before seamlessly evolving into the rawer antipathy of Pockets. Sonic tendrils and band shouts bring fresh drama to the album whilst the bass of Pipe borders on predatory as it robustly swings through the web of unpredictable and intoxication grooves and scything hooks. There is something extra about the track, if indefinable, which its predecessors lacked, an essence which and hints at the adventure waiting to escape the album further on.
Produced by the band and Marta Salogni at Strongroom Studios, London, Some Thing embraces ears with fiery directness straight away through Slug. The guitars of Ren Aldridge and Joe York dance as they sizzle on the senses whilst the jabbing pokes of drummer Zock reveal a swing and relish which only sparks stronger involvement in the swiftly contagious and dramatic encounter. The darker prowling tone of Liepa Kuraite’s bass adds weight to the thick lure of the song too, a tempting enhanced further by the potent vocals and expression of Aldridge backed as potently by York and Kuraite.
Produced by Marcus Forsgren, The White Sea stirs into rich life with I Wear The Skies, the opener coaxing with one, two, subsequently three and four layers of rich enticement once choppy riffs lure more spikily nagging hooks, keenly jabbing beats, and finally a groove thick bass tempting, it all uniting in an explosion of noise and impassioned vocal fire. Early hooks continue to lay down their addictiveness as the song grows, expanding their bait throughout as the short but glorious track boils to an anthemically ferocious close.