Review Summary: A melodic post-metal short that may please die hard fans of the genre, but doesn’t break out of its shell often enough to be wholly worthwhile.
Sludge metallers Nio channel Pelican on opener “Summit” with a dismal chord progression that runs up and down the fretboard until crisp drum fills, to only then transition into an anti-climactic, almost blues-like progression. This bit sums up most of Nio’s approach on their self titled EP; ominous riffs and crunchy chords that delight, often only to lead you back to where you started. Despite the absence of multifarious dynamics and acrobatic song craft explored by the most creative atmospheric sludge bands, Nio still impress with barrages of brooding riffs that will excite any metalhead.
“The Wheel” is perhaps the best example of this. The song lacks what makes most tracks in this sub genre special, but it’s hard to ignore the fluidity of the riffs. Shockingly melodic, “The Wheel” morphs it’s infectious lead melody a few times before a break to a quick set of cymbal taps, where yet another delightful, clean chord progression is thrown at the listener, then slides to a heavy closing. It’s catchy, perhaps admirable to a degree, but acts as nothing more than a run-of-the-mill sludge metal song.
The sound engineering here matches the style quite well; whereas the more outlandish sludge metal benefits from sections of feedback and rawness, Nio’s style is a cleaner, almost stoner like rendition, focusing on dirges and melodic lead guitars. Unfortunately, it does get same-y by the end and everything starts to blend, but fortunately the EP closes with a track that captures Nio’s best songwriting techniques to date.
The eight minute “Cave Dweller” is hopefully a glimpse at what is to come from Nio. While not drastically different than anything else here, this track is a fitting conclusion, cycling the heaviest riffs on the album with some of the small volume swells and build ups you’d expect from post-metal. Nio should unleash a bit more, as the track still feels controlled like the others, but is a strong track nonetheless. Unlike some of the other songs, “Cave Dweller” doesn’t feel commonplace in any area besides the production job, but manages to succeed based upon tight chops, an engaging and unpredictable structure and the perfect run time. It is maybe the antithesis of previous songs “Delta” and “Gray Healer” which are average, forgettable, skippable tracks that don’t do much besides fill the gaps between the better ideas explored on the album.
Nio certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel on this self titled EP, but show a few interesting ideas and melodies that hopefully they can build upon in a more adventurous follow up. It’s paced well and has enjoyable highlights, but ultimately doesn’t take the listener anywhere besides a riff filled land that always ends where it began, without shaking things up in the middle enough to feel as bold as other post-metal records. You may expect a bit more from front man Davide Tiso of avant-garde metal band Ephel Duath, known for wild experimentation, but maybe this is his trip back to the simplicity found in some metal and the start of a bright future, if the mighty “Cave Dweller” is any indication.
