Review Summary: An extremely diverse and impressive debut album from a young band who will surely expand their sound for years to come.
The metalcore genre is a genre that can show diversity, dynamics, and technicalities. Some bands tend to stick to a very worn out part of the genre, which is chugging with amateur unclean vocals roaring over it. "Erra" rarely uses this formula. However, there is some minimal chugging and a bit too much unclean vocals. Unfortunately, that is a huge plague in parts of this debut album. However, one very impressive feature of ERRA that they tend to use more than other bands are the melodic sections. They can be short, and they can be prolonged in different cases. The point is that when the band goes to a softer side, it works beautifully. They seem to find a perfect balance, and diversity is one very good word to use when describing ERRA's music.
The first song on the album is "White Noise", which serves it's purpose as an opener and the single of the album. While it does not stand out as much as some other tracks do, it perfectly shows what ERRA is all about, including screams, cleans, technical riffs, chugging, and pervasive double bass drumming. Starting off in the vocal department, the screamer does his job, but does not have much change in the pitch of his screams. The gutturals are very well done, and i applaud that, but they can get monotonous after awhile. In "Vaalbara", and "Obscure Words", he tries to attempt high yells. They sound very forced, and don't work with the song very well, but i give him credit for at least trying to mix things up. However, i admit that the screams were very good on this album when they flowed with the song.
One of the best things implemented into this band in my opinion are the clean vocals. They are provided by "Jesse Cash", who does a fine job of providing catchy choruses, groovy mellow sections, and a nice break from the chaos in most songs. The songs that show his skill very well are two of the best songs on the album, which show the most diversity. "Heart", and "Render the Void", go from chaotic breakdowns and screaming sections to very enjoyable and well delivered choruses and bridges. "Heart", shows one of the best moments on the entire album, where the band plays a instrumental mellow section that builds up to a very intense and compelling end. Cash sings his heart out for the final minute, and it really can bring a tear to your eye, especially with the lyrics in hand.
The negatives are the overuse of the unclean vocals at times. There are three songs on this album that contain only screaming vocals. They can be monotonous and boring at times; ("Seven", "Vaalbara", and "Obscure Words".) "Seven", and "Vaalbara" tend to be more interesting at some times, and are okay songs. They have some very cool melodic and technical riffs. "Obscure Words" doesn't tend to keep my interest and lingers on to long for me, and i lose my interest and switch to "Heart". Although, yet again, the lows and gutturals are very impressive and are even better than alot of the metalcore bands in the scene today. The rest of the album is amazing as well with the impressive "Pattern Interrupt" and "Architect". The heavy "Efflorescent", and the emotional, yet balanced epic "Invent".
Finally, "Impulse" is a very impressive and well done debut album. I'm sure ERRA will expand their sound and create their own, but this is a very nice debut album, and it kept me interested nearly throughout the whole album. I even bought the physical copy off of the website! By the way, as an update, i am very clear of the fact that currently ERRA are in the process of releasing their sophomore album, and i have heard clips off of the album that have impressed me very much! I bet it will be spectacular.
Best Listens:
White Noise
Heart
Invent
Render the Void
