“Blur the lines and start again.”
It’s impossible to discuss Joshua Travis without first addressing just how prolific he’s been in metal over the past decade-and-a-half. Being part of an early iteration of Monuments in the 2000s, Travis shortly went on to form some of the most beloved and influential bands of the 2010s. His projects most notably include the likes of Glass Cloud and The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, as well as the newer releases from Emmure, the latter of the three saw his influence turn the trajectory and quality of the band around immensely.
Given just how prolific Travis is, it’s not surprising to see the breadth of personnel he’s brought on for his debut solo EP, NO REST. Enlisting the help of the likes of Crystal Lake’s Ryo Kinoshita and Reflections’ Jake Wolf, as well as previous collaborators Andy Cizek (Monuments, Makari, Termina) and Chad Kapper (Frontierer, ex-When Knives Go Skyward) among others, NO REST is an all-star collaborative effort between some of the most revered members of the metal world right now.
Travis’ percussive, low-tuned sound is signature at this point. Eight- and nine-string guitars tuned to the lowest depths of hell and abused in rhythm to create these twisted, chaotic and groove-laden soundscapes. From the moment opener “Web of Lies” (featuring Andy Cizek and Stephen Taranto) starts, this thing does not let up even for a second until it’s over. Cizek, of course, lays out a fantastic vocal performance here. Having previously featured on Travis’ solo tracks “The Hollow” and “Gouge”, it’s clear Cizek blends masterfully with Travis’ style. Truth be told, after those tracks, and the single release of “Web of Lies”, I fully expected (and would still be more than down for) a release of just Travis x Cizek material. Glass Cloud, reunion with Cizek, anyone? A man can dream.
Despite Cizek’s stellar performance, of all the features on this thing, Jake Wolf’s insane vocal chops on “Parallel” stand out by far across all of NO REST. Laying down some brutal growls, alongside his signature mid-screams that have this immense sense of emotion and pain behind them, Wolf is one of the most distinctive and talented vocalists in the scene right now, and this song only further demonstrates why. Further, “Parallel’s” eerie, atmospheric breakdown stands as potentially my favourite moment across this entire EP. The haunting lead work soaring over the top as Wolf screams violently in rhythm to the brutal low-tuned chugs make for a moment so beautifully cathartic, it’s a shame that live prospects for this are fairly limited, as this track in particular would surely open a room right up.
The biggest surprise on NO REST for me came through Jamie Hails of Polaris’ feature on “Disdain”. When I initially saw his name on the tracklist, I wondered how well his voice would work with something this violently heavy. As it turns out, it works perfectly. Hails seems to be using the fullest extent of his range here, going from the highest of belted highs down to some seriously fierce low growls. It almost makes me wish Polaris would make a ridiculously heavy song like this just to show people they can pull it off, as Hails’ voice melds perfectly with the borderline-mathcore sound of this track.
If I were to dock any significant points off NO REST, my main complaint would be its production. Travis’ chaotic production has historically had a lot of weight for as busy as it is, but on NO REST in particular, it feels very high-end focused to a fault. The sheer speed and chaos of this thing definitely shine through in parts of the mix, but the constant high-end hiss is pretty hard to ignore, especially if you’re listening loud on headphones. It admittedly detriments from the experience a bit at times, and while I love almost everything musically on this thing, I can’t act like this EP wouldn’t benefit from a bit of a sonic clean-up.
Joshua Travis’ NO REST is, to be blunt, a chaotic mindfuck of an EP. Travis’ signature, dissonant and percussive sound is here in spades, and while it’s a lot to take in at times, as a long-time fan of Travis’, so many moments on here are so incredibly satisfying. All of these tracks feel like they could’ve fit beautifully on later Danza or Glass Cloud material, had those bands not met their ends years ago. It’s a cathartic revisiting of sounds past for both Travis and fans of his older material, and while the production at times can feel a tad crispy (much like the later Danza material), the songwriting and performances here are too great not to appreciate. Each and every vocal and guitar feature on this thing are world-class, housing some of the best performances I’ve heard in years from the likes of Ryan Kirby (Fit For A King, Our Eternity) and Jamie Hails (Polaris). This EP is far from an easy listen for the average metal fan, but for fans of the extreme and chaotic, this will surely scratch each and every itch you have, if you can look past an iffy mix.
8.5/10
NO REST will be available this Friday, March 18th via Sharptone Records, and you can find pre-orders here.