Hailing from Hertfordshire and London, Conflict North are the latest group to tread the metalcore boards. Only a couple of months old, they’ve dived in head first and released an EP in the form of ‘Treading Water’.
From the start, it’s evident that these guys want to make an impact. Some of their tracks, such as ‘Still Breathing’ are staggering and visceral, ripe with potential. And their vocal interplay is strong – rough, guttural vocals from Robbin Godding complement Matt Anderson’s clean vocals, creating powerful tracks in the form of ‘Lessons Learnt’ and ‘Wake Up’. It’s punchy, fuelled with adrenaline and blistering drum work.
Single ‘Labyrinths’ is a standout track on this release. Hard-hitting and powerful, it’s a charged and emotional track, complete with venomous, infectious riffs. In some respects, it’s rather gut-wrenching and poignant too, with lyrical content such as, “I’m bursting into flames/my body bends and breaks.”
However, when it comes down to it, ‘Treading Water’ is merely an okay release. It’s not strong enough to remain at the forefront of your mind; once the closing chords of ‘All I Have’ trail off, it’s difficult to recall the EP and what the tracks sound like – this, in itself, is a shame as it’s not that bad a record. At best, it’s good. At worst, it’s rather boring. However, metalcore is fast becoming a worn and tired genre now; what Conflict North need to do is create material that’s fresh and exciting, material that’ll make them stand out from the crowd.
JESS TAGLIANI