“The shattered soul in a lifetime of regret.”
Many have (quite understandably) drawn comparisons between Invent Animate and Northlane over the years. From Invent Animate’s Everchanger and Stillworld sonically resembling Northlane’s Discoveries and Singularity, to having a vocalist named Marcus joining the fold following the departure of their original singer, Invent Animate certainly share historic ties with one of modern metalcore’s mainstays.
Where the tides began to shift however, was with the release of the gargantuan Greyview in 2020 — this was one of my favourite albums last year without any hesitation. With technical tapping guitar melodies, reverb-drenched astral ambience and absurdly heavy riffs, Greyview was very much a progressive guitarist’s wet dream of a record. Excitingly, such rich songwriting has only grown whilst Invent Animate have been preparing their latest effort.
Eighteen months on from Greyview, and we are treated with the announcement that Invent Animate have joined now-labelmates Northlane over at UNFD. With the news that Invent Animate had The Sun Sleeps, As If It Never Was on the way, you bet my ears were pricked with curiosity, and justifiably, my heart filled with exhilaration.
Opening track and lead single “The Sun Sleeps“ is a tempestuous trawl through drummer Trey Celaya’s agonising recollections of his and his family’s drug addiction crises. Aptly confrontational in its frenetic instrumentation and haunting, piercing vocals, “The Sun Sleeps“ explores the perspective of one affected by the crippling hex of addiction. Highlight lyrics “How do you sleep at night with a war inside of you? / How does it feel to die knowing I’ve forgotten you?” are utterly heart-wrenching whilst retaining a melodious catchiness that truly stays through many, many repeat listens.
The production here bamboozled me in its quality as well. Everything feels present and purposeful within a mix that rivals ERRA’s self-titled album, from Celaya’s thunderous, rampant drumming to Keaton Goldwire’s supremely slick seven-string guitar chugs. Where Caleb Sherradan’s aggressive yet perfectly tight bass-playing lays the lower groundwork on The Sun Sleeps, As If It Never Was, Marcus Vik’s voracious vocal performance far outshines previous efforts by the band.
After an admittedly gorgeous but nonetheless slightly shoehorned interlude, “,“, Invent Animate aurally pleasure us with “As If It Never Was“. This track is flawlessly demonstrative of what Invent Animate do best — raw, emotive, untamed aggression, balanced with ambience and atmosphere. I am thoroughly overcome with amazement as to how such sounds can hurl me into the visceral hurricane of another person’s grief and strife. ‘As If It Never Was’ acts as a stark reminder of the darkness that holds those who experience incomprehensibly painful trauma in its almost-inescapable grip.
Ultimately, I am enraptured by both “The Sun Sleeps” and “As If It Never Was“; I couldn’t possibly choose a favourite. Both are interdependent and interwoven in Celaya’s tapestry of tragedy and as torturous as this must be, it has undeniably brought out Invent Animate’s strongest songwriting to date. As an EP holistically though, I hunger for more as a sheer musical product. With just two songs and an instrumental interlude, The Sun Sleeps, As If It Never Was is arguably more akin to a single rather than an EP, and this is its primary downfall overall. With that said, I would much rather evaluate what I have than ponder over what I am missing, and for such a reason, The Sun Sleeps, As If It Never Was conclusively is truly a remarkable sounding little record that is sure to rack up masses of streams from me personally.
The Sun Sleeps, As If It Never Was will be released via UNFD on September 23 2021, and you can pre-order the EP here. For more on Invent Animate, UNFD bands and music in general, make Boolin Tunes your go-to.
8.5/10