Coventry/Birmingham-based quintet An Elegy has roared onto the metalcore in the last couple of months. Drawing inspiration from visceral and furious bands such as Slipknot and Linkin Park, this group have focused their efforts into writing a powerful and deliciously heavy EP in the form of ‘Embrace the Rain’.
‘Ghost’ is a satisfyingly robust starting point – they demonstrate their use of tantalising riffs to create a solid opening for their release. It’s strong, it’s steady, it’s huge, and it gives a taste of what An Elegy still have left to offer.
They power through ‘Hidebound’, featuring roaring vocals from the talented Richard Lardner of Lock and Key, mixed with blinding riffs and thunderous drum work. Then there’s ‘VII’, which shows off frontman Sam Appleyard’s screams and clean vocals. His vocal range is incredibly impressive; his screams are guttural and earth-shaking, while his elephantine clean vocals truly shine, which comes across extremely well during ‘Ghost, Pt. II’.
Title track ‘Embrace the Rain’ ends the EP on a raw and gritty note; it’s full of brutal breakdowns and angry riffs, encapsulating the sound of a band that truly means business. They pump all their adrenaline into this last track, ensuring that it’s as loud and strong as their opening track.
Despite having only been together for a year, An Elegy have created an EP that will be seen as a strong contender within the metalcore scene. Visceral and raw, it’s like a caged beast, waiting to be unleashed upon the masses. In other words, it’s a phenomenal release.
JESS TAGLIANI