A new EP release from There's Only One Elvis hits with a progressive and deepening set of trudging metal soundscapes that come together and a thrashing and fierce approach along with a blend of death and grindcore and a ton of character.
The Balance of Everything EP has a thick and rumbling tonality that comes with a fiery backbone and intricate performances guitar wise that all pack a heavy-handed punch.
Although this is a six-track EP, there's something incredibly connective between these songs and the premise touches on an almost spiritual undertone and the delivery of everything performed on this record is intense.
There are a lot of surprises lurking around the corners of this record including some swells and builds but a lot of times those grow into metal thresholds that hit like a blitzkrieg.
Again, the guitar work across this record is stellar and you have to have a serious love for the instrument to be able to pull this kind of stuff off at the speed that it's done here.
Here's the thing about death metal, heavy metal, hardcore music, and all of that; it takes not only a passion for the genre and the instruments, but also an incredible level of musicianship and this is something that a lot of people don't understand if they don't listen to the genre.
Metal has heart and intricacies.
To perform the kind of stuff that's done on a record like this takes years of practice and that in itself takes a love and passion for your instruments but the real ticket here that is even more intricate and to be able to put all of this together and put it out there with such polish and perfection, meaning and push, takes a lot.
This record has drive behind it and that drive comes from someplace genuine which makes this whole record all the more authentic.
Songs interweave between each other giving the record a concept album feeling and I might be wrong about that of course, but it sure feels like these songs connect and are confluent with each other.
I love the whole idea and theme behind this record and how forthcoming it is with all of that.
This just goes to show what growing up listening to certain influences can do to your drive to perform and write.
The drumming is the other thing that really hits incredibly on this release because it's done super tight and, in the pocket, but it's alive and this is what gives the songs that same feeling of being alive and breathing.
This EP is more an experience than a record and I would strongly suggest that you listen to it from beginning to end because that's the way it was meant to be soaked in.
At least, that's how I see it.
A lot of it is intense and high energy, burning octane and pounding soundscapes but that's part of what makes it so damn good.
This record was made with one man at the helm and that one man performs and records everything you hear on this record which makes it unreal.
I wouldn't even know where to begin to flesh out an idea let alone one with so much going on.
This was beyond impressive and showcases the songwriter's ability to see something from his mind to fruition and that takes a lot of time and love.
This is for people who love intense death metal, grindcore, deathcore, melodic metal, vast sounds, and fierce riffs.
Everything about this was well thought out but it never loses that sort of soul that birthed it in the first place.
Check this out and turn it up because, in terms of death metal, this is getting a 9 out of 10 hands down.