“Fire at will.“
Florida has become a hotspots in recent years for some of the most promising acts in America; Tracheotomy, Moodring and Tactosa all seem set to be at the forefront of their respective genres. There has also been a notable return to form of ’00s-esque metallic hardcore, which has seen the likes of Serration, Balmora and Cauldron release quality material over the past two or so years. Sitting in the middle of this Venn diagram is Ephemeral.
The unit originally formed in 2018, eventually dropping a three-song self-titled demo in the summer of 2022. Drawing on larger riffs and leaning into the deathcore style vocals, their follow-up comes in the form of Tower Of Silence. Working with Anthony Burke, whose fingerprints are stamped on the recent Magnitude and Envision releases, the EP shines with potential and is sure to further place them on the map.
There is no easing into Tower Of Silence, as swirling metal riffs and kick-laden drums dominate the ear on “End fF God“. The vocals, which come from drummer Matt Cody pulling double-duty, have a piercing depth to them. This further continues on “Silenced“. As the riffs sink in, there is a real solid rhythm that is encompassing. There is a sense of Lamb of God‘s Ashes of the Wake here, yet everything is turned up to a harsher notch with an injection of hardcore.
The inevitable fist-throwing comes with the barrage of sound that is “Tower Has Fallen“. Here, Ephemeral has pushed every aspect of their energy and sound to full-throttle, with the guitars switching between chugging riffs and captivating solos. The percussive rudiments and kicks give the track its grandiose feeling and are sure to get a room moving. Tower Of Silence takes a moment of rest with interlude “Eoness’ Call“, which blends an extended sample with teasing riffs.
Closing out the record comes the furious “Mortal Eye“, replete with dominating riffs, furious vocals, and demanding drums filling the ear. While there might be an argument of lack of variation across the EP, Ephemeral have stuck to what they they excel at. Tower Of Silence is a rough and savaging experience through its five tracks, yet it more than meets the quality of its contemporaries and is undoubtedly a continued return to form for the genre. The riffs alone will have listeners returning, and there is an intrigue to see how they can be further expanded on future Ephemeral releases.
7.5/10
Tower Of Silence is out this Friday, May 19th, via DAZE Records, and can be pre-ordered here.