“The drug consumed our minds. Do we even exist when we feel alive?”
As the metal scene evolves, creativity and innovation often manifests itself in various forms. A good number of bands, new and old, have chosen to tackle the aspect of heaviness, and see just how far they can take it. Bands like Loathe and ten56. have made strides in this area, achieving deeper levels of emotion through heaviness with their recent, experimental releases. As with all trends, there have also been many attempts that feel forced and disingenuous; this is certainly not the case with Weeping Wound and idontbelonghere.
The trio, based in Florida, released an album prior to this, titled PAIN. I was previously unfamiliar with the group until I stumbled upon their name on our release calendar, and they immediately cemented themselves as a band to keep on my radar. Their brand of heavily atmospheric nu-metalcore clicked in my head and I wanted more. Produced by metalcore powerhouse George Lever (Sleep Token, Loathe, Thornhill), their latest offering, idontbelonghere., seeks to further evolve their sound.
After a short intro, the EP kicks off with the title track and first single, two minutes of pummelling, down-tuned heaviness. It’s a menacing track, with hits of dissonance scattered amongst the relentless, pitch-shifted chugs, layered with an eerie ambience that really establishes the dark tone of the sounds to come. A barely audible vocoded voice is heard throughout the EP, providing a unique sense of theme and intrigue. “dreaming.room” follows this relentlessness, introducing suspense-building electronics to the nu-metalcore sound. Vocalist Dylan Torre delivers a satisfying level of aggression, matching the infective grooves that will surely make you headbang along.
An unexpected twist comes in the form of “dirty.goeldn”, the longest track on idontbelonghere. Following a gentle, clean tone guitar intro, effect-laden clean vocals provide a refreshing change-up as the band explore a more emotional aspect of their sound. It opens up into a shoegaze-y, Loathe-like soundscape. Whilst the track accomplishes the softer, melancholic feeling it strives for, it’s not without its heavy moments. Right before the breakdown, the words “does it have to burn?” are chanted, accenting an explosive instrumental and emotional release. “dirty.goeldn” is a true standout, providing a moment of variety that I was not anticipating.
Second single “fourth.love” is a return to the ordered chaos. Guitarist Patrick Dowling and drummer Loren Whitaker deliver a groovy, punchy instrumental that is the highlight of the song. The morose droning of the pre-breakdown vocals, “it is death, it is death, the endless wait. It is life, is this life? The endless wait” add to the emotion of the song and the collective mood of the EP. Closer “fromm.here.on” combines all the elements presented on this release to great effect, interspersing the familiar, punishing heaviness with moments of atmosphere and space. Haunting choir vocals enter the final breakdown for a brief moment, a slight but noteworthy detail that increased my enjoyment and demonstrates the surprising amount of nuance Weeping Wound possess. Despite being five minutes long, the song doesn’t drag for a moment, progressing in a satisfying and interesting manner to appropriately close out the EP.
Brooding, sinister, and cathartic, idontbelonghere. achieves the somber emotion it is going for. Be it through the pounding instrumentals, the moments of suspenseful ambience, or the raw and bleak lyrics, every element has its purpose and plays its part well, culminating in a very rich and mature release. There is also a surprising level of diversity in sound on the EP, which one may not expect from the pre-release singles. A satisfying display of creativity from an up-and-coming band, this is one that you shouldn’t skip.
8.5/10
Idontbelonghere. will be available this Friday, September 16th, via Blood Blast Distribution, and you can pre-order it here.