Review Summary: A short but sweet burst of energy.
Northlane and
In Hearts Wake, two prominent Australian metalcore acts, are no strangers to the music they play. The former, having been around since 2009, grew in popularity after 2013's
Singularity. Following the departure of vocalist Adrian Fitipaldes, the band released
Node in 2015 with new vocalist Marcus Bridge, finding massive success and even charting in the Billboard 200. The latter have been around since 2006, finding large success in its home country with albums such as
Earthwalker and
Skydancer. Both bands have toured extensively, finding success in a duel America and Canada tour. It was no surprise then that both bands decided to release an EP, entitled
Equinox, encompassing their metalcore sound into a twelve minute burst of energy.
Opening with
Refuge, the signature screams and growls of both Marcus Bridge and In Hearts Wake's Jake Taylor are on point, providing a nice flow to each song. Surprisingly enough, however, is the vocals of Kyle Erich. Known for a relatively whiny vocal performance and heavy post-production on In Heart's Wake albums, the lack of both give him free reign, and he takes the opportunity, soaring with ease across both main tracks. The EP, consisting of the aforementioned
Refuge and final track
Hologram, along with interlude
Equinox, take queues from Northlane's
Node LP, and are better for it. The guitars crunch and soar with ease, the drums feel complex and measured, and the bass provides a nice backbone for the rest of the band. Although the twelve minutes feel short for such a combination of bands, the songs don't disappoint, transitioning well into one another without feeling forced and don't seem out of place on their own.
Despite a relatively short run time,
Equinox gives fans a taste of what both bands can produce. The Northlane-esque approach to the EP gives it a much more distinct and catchy sound, and give both bands plenty of space to work with. With only two songs to fully enjoy, the EP comes to an abrupt end, but the bands make the most of it, and it results in an enjoyable EP.
