23rd August 2020

Review: “Urgency” by Anticline

Forming very specifically on 31st October 2017 in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia are Metallic Hardcore quintet Anticline. Dropping a string of singles, Dylan Volk (Vocals), Don Shoe (Guitar/Vocals), Jack Hynes (Guitar), Caleb King (Bass) and Darcy Carroll (Drums) finally dropped their debut six track EP “Hesitancy” in August 2018, recording and producing in house and getting Jamie Marinos (Gravemind, Sentinel, Alpha Wolf) to Master. Returning with their sophomore release “Urgency” they’ve once again put their trust in Marinos, this time as producer, while cutting 2019 single “Airless Room“, which features a guest appearance by Jerry Chard, adrift as a standalone piece. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again; the place is a hotbed of Metal talent at the moment and just being from that part of the World sets the expectations that little bit higher before we’ve even heard a note…

…First single “Headspinning Bias” landed in June with a nauseating groove heavy riff and a huge bass sound to accompany it, a warning shot of what was about to come down the tunnel. Solid Metallic Hardcore breakdowns piled high with that click-y bass tone of Nu-Metal, it’s a punch in the face that leaves your ears ringing with the roars of “Intact to refine this, Acts of defiance. Forgotten alliance, A headspinning bias bled you dry” from Volk, his caustic vocals having something in common with Knocked Loose man Bryan Garris. Guitarist Shoe then gives that vocal contrast on “Paroxysm (Everything Comes Pouring Out)“, which bleeds 90’s Hardcore influences brought up to date with galloping break out drum moments from Carroll. “In The Open” brings group vocals into play with moments of feedback over pounding rhythms drawing out the vocal rantings before the guitars punch back. The dynamic within the track shuffles from a more upbeat one to that oppressive, almost claustrophobic one by the closing bars and that shows that the band have skill a plenty in the song writing craft. The oldly titled “Bent Pace” makes perfect sense in the lyrics “You’re f***ing lagging behind and I won’t bend my pace to your mind“, speaking volumes about the feelings of someone holding you back and the struggle to break free, which makes for a mid EP ripper with venomously delivered vocals. “Pitch Black” features a guest vocal appearance from Bobak Rafiee of Justice For The Damned and is an absolute battering ram of a track with circle pit inducing riffs. Whats great about this is that Anticline stick firmly to their own style and use Rafiee’s deeper vocal to great effect, contrasting Volk’s shriller bark perfectly. There is no sense that they’ve gone about writing their own version of a track by the guests band, a fate that has happened to several other bands recently. “Futurum Obscurus” brings downtempo leanings to the fray with an unstoppable, slower two step beating groove of concrete slab after concrete slab of riffs raining down. It’s manna from Hardcore heaven before a melodic break that then brings back the heavier moments with unclean and clean vocal layering techniques used to full effect. There is no doubt that this blistering affair should see Anticline on some bigger stages in the US and Europe in 2021, they’re going to be your next favorite band from Australia [8/10]

Track listing