Review Summary: I really enjoyed this EP. Yes, there bits that I feel could have been executed better or that I feel could have been adjusted but that’s just my opinion. To go for a very niche sound, within an already niche genre, takes guts and bravery. Both of which
TRACK 1 – CLOSER TO THE LIGHT
This track hits you straight in the face with a monster sound and guitar riff that will have you headbanging right off the bat! That’s not it though, the electronic element of the Neon Empire sound kicks in and will have your whole body moving. When it comes in, it doesn’t overpower or cause any chaos to the sound, it compliments it nicely; letting you know instantly that they have a whole arsenal of music waiting to assault your ears.
John’s screams and Hassan’s clean vocals are perfectly set into the huge mix of the song and really power though. It can often be hard to have scream vocals heard clearly above the heavily distorted guitars of metalcore, through in electronic elements and this becomes harder but the band have managed to work this out seamlessly.
What I really like is that the band use the electronic elements in a way that adds a lot of depth to the music. They know when to have it sit back in the mix and come forward at certain times to help add dynamics to the sound.
The drums on this track are absolutely monstrous from Veronika. She lets loose at the start and doesn’t stop driving the sound forward until the track ends. It’s an approach that works great with this song. Being the 1st track, she puts the pedal to the metal and you know straight away that you are in for some heavy hitting throughout the EP.
As a bassist, I feel I need to address the bass tone. In this song it’s not particular my cup of tea tone wise. I would have liked it to be a little punchier with a little more attack but this is just personal preference. In saying that, Tom does an excellent job and ties the rhythm sections of the drums and guitars together. You can hear the bass driving forward with the drums and it makes me excited to hear the rest of the tracks.
The song finishes up on a bit of odd point, which is purposefully done I assume to that it catches your attention and makes you question what just happened. It’s almost a jerk back to reality after being taken on a wild ride for the song.
A great opening song for the EP that really lets you know the ferocity and intent of the band for the rest of the EP.
TRACK 2 - THIS CLARITY
The second track of the EP, This Clarity, is the lead single that the band released in late November 2019. The track features Jimmie Strimell & Pontus Hjelm of Dead By April. For me this was the perfect introduction to the band, as the song features everything that the band can do, heavy metalcore with creams and clean vocals, driving drums, off the wall guitar solo, and all the electronic music you could want. It’s a great showcase to see what the band is about.
The track starts off with an electronic sound that draws you in and leaves you waiting for the hit of the guitars and drums. And they don’t disappoint! Using the guitars and drums to drive the rhythm while the electronic sounds lead the main melody. It’s a song that will have you moshing before you even know what’s happening.
John’s screams, once again, really cut through the mix. Something that is great when you listen to the lyrics and hear the meaning behind them. They don’t get lost in a sea of sound that can easily happen in this genre.
The changes in rhythm between each section are awesome. The drop in the pre-chorus hook really lets the chorus and Hassan’s clean vocals shine though. It’s a drop you’d more expect during a breakdown but they have worked it nicely to fit as a lead up to the chorus. And Hassan’s chorus vocals are roof lifting! They rise up in unison with the music after the pre-chorus drop and will leave you singing the words over and over after you listen to the song, even just once.
The guitar tone has a scratchiness to it that you would think would be grating on your ears but mixed in with the drums and electronic elements, it really brings a lot of air to their sound and helps to keep thinks from getting muddy.
After the breakdown and screams the sound builds back up and just as you expect Hassan to clear his pipes and belt out another chorus you are actually hit by Hassan dusting off his fretboard with a blinding solo out of nowhere. Now, I must admit I’m not the biggest fan of flaming guitar solos in this style of music, BUT… Hassan definitely has a knack for tastefulness with this one. He shows that he has chops but doesn’t over do it. He lets you know that he’s definitely capable of more but also capable of restraint in order to add to the song with out completely stealing the show.
The song ends back on their electronic sound, giving you a bit of time to digest what you just experienced. As I mentioned above, it’s the perfect showcase of what the band is capable of and whether you hear This Clarity as a single or as part of the full EP, one this is clear. Neon Empire are a force to be reckoned with and are serious about what they are doing.
TRACK 3 - THE FALLEN
Opening up with piano and strings, it sounds like this will be a song, that’s the mid-point of the EP, that will change the tempo of things.
Then the bass enters, distorted but controlled. Along with the drums. When they enter, and you hear them alongside the strings and piano, you can’t help but feel uneasy. Uneasy because you don’t know if they are precursors to all hell being unleashed as the calm before the storm or if they are just there to add rhythmic feel for a gentler sound.
The song and sounds keep building with guitars and screams coming into the fray. You start to brace yourself for impact and expect a bomb to be dropped and chaos to erupt.
But then it changes. Everything falls away except for the strings and Hassan’s clean vocals. It’s not what your body was ready for and because of that it has so much more impact.
The layers of sound get added back in as the song continues. Helping the song to build and build, lifting you up, but never losing control. This is the turning point half way through the EP. There’s the change of pace and it shows that the band is not just a one trick pony with a balls to the wall approach. One can really tell that the band has thought about how they can have dynamically different sounding sounds all while staying true to their sound.
While bass and drums really keep the song driving forward the slower paced to the vocals keep it all under control.
TRACK 4 - CRAVE
Crave starts back with an electronic sound that is later joined but complimenting guitar and bass. It’s a sound that harks back to early 2000’s metalcore and easycore. It’s a nice hit of nostalgia that shows a glimpse of what has influenced they sound as a band.
Even when the vocals come in, you can hear the early metalcore influence in the melodies and vocal lines. These are joined by a lead electronic line that was clearly influenced again by 2000’s metalcore.
If you were a fan of that early 2000’s electronic metalcore and even easycore sound, you’ll love this song. The one bad thing I will say about this song is that it wasn’t longer. I love every second of this one and it was great to hear the band give a little nod to all the bands that came before them and influenced their sound.
TRACK 5 - DISTORTED REALITY
The last track of the EP opens up with some soft synth, piano and ambient rain drops. This continues while Tom’s bass enters with a riff that pulls you forward driven further by the driving drums from Veronika. The synths layer up and build until the guitars come in, keeping the song building and driving forward. It all sounds very anthemic. I like it!
There is a huge amount of interplay with the clean and scream vocals, more than any other track on the EP and it works so well. It adds a level of balance to a song that sounds like it is soaring higher and higher. Definitely anthemic. I love it!
From start to finish, you feel like this track is lifting you up and bringing you somewhere, a distorted reality maybe…
Another tasty and well-placed guitar solo from Hassan appears. This one is less ‘showy’ than the one in This Clarity, but it shows that the band are able to create great music that fits well together and not just great sections of music that are placed together.
The song bows out with a soft fade of pulled back guitars and synth and scream vocals. The lyrics are very poignant and a fitting end to the track and EP as a whole.
I'm still searching,
I need to move on,
I am breaking away,
How can I last...
OVERALL IMPRESSION
I really enjoyed this EP. Yes, there bits that I feel could have been executed better or that I feel could have been adjusted but that’s just my opinion. To go for a very niche sound, within an already niche genre, takes guts and bravery. Both of which Neon Empire have in spades.
Knowing that the band has only existed for about 10 months and have been able to create this body of work leaves me very impressed and excited to see what the band can do now that they are finding their stride.
