“And so I dream, of everything I could have been.”
One of the many joys of having this platform is the natural discovery of newer bands putting out solid material. Sharptone Records is often the culprit behind the great young acts that come across my desk, and that is once again the case with the band Profiler out of Bristol. Their self-titled EP is out this Friday, June 24th, and I’m here to tell you it’s worth a listen.
After a super groovy intro track, “Miserable” starts off with some clean riffage with a tone not unlike their contemporaries out of Australia such as Thornhill and Void of Vision. This brand of metalcore strikes the same chord, but Profiler manages to put a personal spin on it. That comes partly with vocalist/guitarist Mike Evans’ vocals sounding very vulnerable while also rough around the edges. It makes for a less than perfect vocal performance, but a more compelling one at times too. It’s a trade I’m happy to make.
“Glitch Theory” reveals a bit of nu-metal influence within this EP’s track listing, especially on the vocal front. The guitar work on here overall is very bouncy and expertly crafted and the EP is worth listening to for that alone. Evans’ screams are nothing to turn your nose up at, either, as they perfectly compliment the energy within the song writing. “Alpha Nine” continues the nu-metal influence, with the breakdown within the latter part of the track having a build up that sounds very Linkin Park-esque, but very much within the soundscape specific to Profiler.
The EP ends with “Hypocrite” which boasts some soaring clean passages by Evans as bassist Joe Johnson and drummer Oscar Hocking kill their contributions as well. I love how this band is only 3 members, by the way. This song is full of brutal descending chords that pick up the pace and slow down as the track calls for it, making for another strong showing with just enough dynamics to keep a listener coming back.
Not counting the one-minute intro, this is only a four-track project, which unfortunately prevents it from truly becoming something special. Despite that, I’d struggle to find a collection of tracks with this tight of a performance as a first release. I’m brought back to the aforementioned Thornhill’s debut EP Butterfly. I’m excited to see what the band will do one day with a larger scope.
7/10
Check out Profiler’s self-titled EP when it drops this Friday, and pre-order it here.