Review Summary: Australia: the land of kangaroos and metalcore.
Over the past few years, Australia has begun to establish itself as a metalcore gold mine. With exceptionally talented bands like Polaris, Thornhill, and Northlane dominating the scene, it’s undeniable just how much strength the country holds within the genre. With the arrival of a new band to the nation’s repertoire, LUNE continues the tradition with their own blend of metalcore and progressive djent influences. On their debut EP,
Ghost, LUNE establishes their power through the combination of brutal aggression and haunting atmosphere prevalent throughout. The low tuned guitars command and guide the EP through intense, choppy chug breakdowns, technical progcore riffing, and fluidly dissonant, yet melodic, ambiance that swells and overtakes the listener. Although generally neglected within the genre, LUNE utilizes the extent and influence of bass presence to enhance each track, crafting a full and massive display within each track. Laying the foundational groove of
Ghost, the drumming dictates each changing tempo with its immense chops and subtle intricacies in the beats, shifting the entire flow of songs with a fresh take in each progression. Tying together all of the facets of the EP, the grand vocal versatility, ranging from impressive lows to powerful highs and even hints of harmonious, melodic clean singing in “Ghost” and “Modern Bones,” further adds to the dynamics presented in
Ghost, elevating it to some of the best performances in the Australian metalcore scene.
However, despite the impressive display of talent on
Ghost, LUNE remains close to its ties in the industry and holds tightly to their influences. When listening through the EP, one cannot but think that they’ve heard the same kind of thing before from other bands. Yes, the breakdowns are ridiculously fun and bouncy, the riffs are astounding, and the vocals are captivatingly catchy, but there’s this underlying, nagging feeling that it sticks to the formula established by preceding groups. Most notably is the title track, which effectively utilizes heavily downtuned riffs, pummeling double bass stricken grooves, and intense vocal abilities. However, resorting to the established style of the genre, the inclusion of a rather by-the-numbers clean chorus and predictable structure, the track falls into the realm of formulaic. Nonetheless, despite the reliance on fall back within the boundaries of the formula, LUNE manages to execute the style nearly flawlessly and effectively establishes themselves as frontrunners for the upcoming generation of Australian metalcore. With monstrous tracks like “Manipulator,” the band showcases the massive amounts of untapped potential contained within their talents, leaving much room to grow and evolve into a powerhouse. For a debut effort, LUNE sets their sights in the right direction and adds yet another band to Australia’s ever growing pool of credit in metalcore.
