Review: “Lost In The Open” by This It Ends
“In the end we all die and nothing really matters” ~ Richard Rodriguez
Instead of spreading the nihilistic mindset of that quote, Thus It Ends decided to use it as a mantra to stand against. Safe in the knowledge that idle hands are the devil’s workshop, the Metalcore merchants who are based in Poland but have family ties to Ukraine and Brazil started writing and recording in September 2022. They released two stand alone singles in “Seppuku” and “Surroundings” in 2023 and shared stages with Materia, The Unrest and No One Leaves before settling down to record a debut EP “Lost In The Open” which they describe as “a fusion of energetic beats and head-crushing riffs“…
A thick fog descends upon the valley, shrouding everything in a dark and sinister atmosphere as “Hate Is All We Have” begins in ernest, a clean crisp drum sound confirming that this is a polished studio affair and not a DIY or DIE style demo. Menacing mid temp chugging riffs flow with ease, enhanced by some slight unnerving vocals and icy keys but rather than an opening cut this one has the distinctive flavour of a mid album cruncher. It doesn’t blow you away with an adrenaline rush of fury but instead creeps up behind you like a stalker in the night armed with an axe, a shovel and a solid alabi. If anything “Part One” actually sounds more like an opening cut, it’s polished Melodic Death Metal leaning introduction throwing back to the 2003 era of American Metalcore influenced heavily by the Gothenburg sound. The leads are slick and structures familiar, reminiscent of bands like It Dies Today with galloping drums and a layered chorus that pitches the unclean vocals against some unexpected cleans. That works incredibly well and somehow manages to sound fresh as well as having that nostalgic familiarity which gives it instant appeal.
“Distant Days” then returns to the dry throated raspy vocals that border on screamo in both style and substance with hints of “Suicide Season” era Bring Me The Horizon influence. What sets this one apart is a real depth of darkness, a vicious streak that plunges them deeper into the cold waters in search of something new. While overall this record isn’t anything you won’t have heard before, it is done very well which makes it a solid foundation and good starting point for the This It Ends to evolve and develop their own sound. Taking a leaf out of the Our Hollow Our Home book, “Trading Souls” has a couple of bold sing-a-long moments which captivate. The emotive quality of the music is impressive while a couple of weighty breakdowns being those real gut punch moments that have a real wow factor. They are capable of reaching into the void to Deathcore if they so desire but stop just short with this one. Last but by no means least “Back to Home” rounds out a polished collection with a piece that adds a little meloncholic flavour. A spoken word adds atmosphere while and extended solo to finish on a flourish adds shine [7.5/10]
Track Listing
- Hate Is All We Have
- Part One
- Distant Days
- Trading Souls
- Back to Home
“Lost In The Open” by This It Ends was released on 2nd February 2024