BAND: EYE 4 AN EYE
ALBUM: EYE 4 AN EYE EP
LABEL: INDEPENDENT / DRM ARTIST DEVELOPMENT
GENRE: METALCORE / POST HARDCORE
RATING: 8/10
Post-hardcore is a genre that often suffers in the eyes of critics. The style generally suffers from overly generic knockoffs of the year’s big band, and autotune runs rampant. Eye 4 An Eye does not completely defy genre expectations, but the band’s debut EP, a self-titled release, bodes well for the group’s future. Vicious growls and solid, and occasionally melodic, guitars are oftentimes held back by the lackluster clean sections and electronic intros, but it is a promising release.
Eye 4 An Eye is a six song, twenty-one minute romp of chugs, breakdowns, and synthesizers. Songs like “Don’t You Dare” incorporate the occasional melodic guitar run to spice up what would otherwise feel like a crushing onslaught of breakdowns and power chords, but that isn’t a bad thing. Dual vocalists Brandon Handley and Jake Moore deliver impressive highs and crushing lows, but the same cannot be said of Handley’s clean vocals. His voice often wavers, and he does not hold a note for long. It is refreshing, however, to hear regular, non-autotuned vocals, and Handley’s voice is never left as the focal point of any of Eye 4 An Eye’s songs.
As far as production goes, Eye 4 An Eye can hang with major label records. Handley and Moore deliver quite the performance with their harsh vocals, standing out as the record’s strongest suit. Guitarists Dan Rogers and Jeff Knapp deliver a heavy, yet melodic performance, making up for the absence of a bassist. Nick Latella pounds away at the drum kit, and along with the synthesizers, the band meshes into a very cohesive unit, quite the feat for an unsigned band these days. Sometimes the electronica sections seem a bit lengthy, but that is a small gripe.
Eye 4 An Eye has delivered a strong performance on their debut EP. The release does not necessarily break new ground, but the band plays to its strengths and the result is a surprisingly solid EP. The Phoenixville, Pennsylvania quintet has hit the springboard for a potentially huge career.
ROCKS LIKE: ICE NINE KILLS, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
