26th May 2025

Review: “Surfaces” by Cardinal Fleet

“Surfaces is a five-track collection that explores the diversity and contrasts of heavy music. Each track is its own world – separate yet part of the same whole. The EP takes the listener on a journey through different moods and styles, combining experimentalism and familiar metal music tones in surprising ways. Although the songs differ in sound and mood, they are united by a cohesive production style and natural riffs. Each track reveals a different surface, yet they all share a unified direction and a deep soundscape. This EP is for those who seek surprises, depth and new experiences in music. ‘Surfaces’ invites you to explore every layer of it – there is always something new beneath the surface.” ~ Cardinal Fleet

Hailing from Jyväskylä, Finland Cardinal Fleet “formed to explore music without any genre limitations – with a focus on the heavier soundscape of course” as they put it and do so with what Inverse Records call “a diverse and ambitious journey into the soundscapes of heavier music“. The band comprise vocalist and bassist Samuli Rasmus, drummer Ville Jyrkkä and guitarist duo Tatu Latavala and Joni-Antti Haveri respectively and if you do a little digging like Jessica Fletcher in Murder She Wrote you may find that three of them have a shared past. That was in a Melodic Death Metal band called Callidice who gave us three EPs and a full length album between 2014 and 2022, the odd one out being Haveri…

…Dirge laden riffs and a diverse vocal tirade give “Little Devil in a Carousel” an early 2000’s Metal sound reminiscent of bands like Dry Kill Logic, controlled yet crushing mosh parts well placed to inflict maximum damage. Fleeting synths and leads are a nice touch but purposefully kept to a minimum with a less is more approach to a track that feels more like a mid tempo mid album but that an opening tone setter. That being said, the musicians prior experience shines through with the polish on this one before “The Heat” offers up a Pop Punk infused Metalcore opening that you just didn’t see coming. A cut that ticks all the boxes in 2010 cliché with a sing-a-long chorus that is stupidly catchy it’s stylistically the polar opposite of the opening cut, as if you were zapped into a different station on the radio during a long drive. It’s not a bad song by any means, if anything something of a guilty pleasure with a layer of American cheese. “Raft” flips the script once more, taking another huge stylistic leap, this time into the world of Epic Metal. A powerful, heartfelt lyrical narrative, well worked synth patterns and mid-tempo guitars built without a real crescendo and while it’s nice enough, it feels a verse and chorus too long at just over six minutes. More in keeping with the opening cut than anything else “The Sound of a Dying Breed” is a powerful statement piece with a big chorus and potent unclean death growls. Moody, sombre and aggressive, its more captivating that some of the other pieces on offer here. Could it be the direction to which the four piece ascend? Very much so. Soaked in Scandinavian melancholia “Surface” drifts with dark beauty offering depth an texture as it floats upon the breeze. Another powerful moment with aching clean vocals and delicate lament it leaves you wondering just how far the quartet could go if they only created music like this. Variety is very much the spice of life but here one track stands out like a hammer smashed thumb [7/10]

Track Listing