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STATE OF YOU follow up their fantastic 2022 debut self-titled EP with On A Knife’s Edge. The quintet have been rising up in the rock scene in the three years since their last release, playing their own headline shows and touring with YOUNG GUNS and earning critical acclaim for their own take on heavy metal, which sees them throw in both hardcore and rock influences. With the band’s shared goal of expelling personal demons whilst also discussing issues happening in the world, On A Knife’s Edge continues to aid the band’s rise to fame.
Cut The Rope starts the EP off with a gentle instrumental introduction that explodes into a spit-in-your-face triumphant metalcore song that proves that STATE OF YOU haven’t let the ball drop despite the long gap between the EPs. Vocalist Steve Sitkowski sounds the best he’s ever sounded, going from vicious death growls to shouting in the same song. It’s a very strong opening song, although sometimes the vocals overwhelm the instruments.
Thankfully, this isn’t the case in To The Core, a song that leans even more into the heavier side of the band. The band avoid the mistake of just recreating Cut The Rope; instead, they expand upon their sound by including some singing as well. In fact, the genius of the EP is the band building upon their sound over the six songs.
Under The Wire deals with the topic of sitting with uncomfortable thoughts and not running away from them. The production perfectly captures how difficult this can be; the instruments are at the forefront of the song, allowing guitarists Ollie Jeffs and Max O’Neil, bassist Rick Keenan, and drummer Nick Jones time to shine. The vocals are not forgotten during this song; instead, they’re sharp and urgent, but also sometimes distorted in the background by some electronic elements that are included.
Double Barrelled continues the band’s heavy sound, but with noticeably softer verses that contrast the heavy chorus. Two Of A Kind leans into the hardcore side of the band, whereas closing song Which Way The Water Flows is a brilliant and energetic hardcore song that brings the EP to a full circle closure.
In less expert hands, the EP might have shattered under the weight of different genres. But thankfully, this EP is produced by Oz Craggs, who has worked with the band throughout their career. It’s because of him that the EP keeps to a medium pacing. Although the majority of the songs are fast, they are all between three to four minutes long, which gives them enough time to develop.
Overall, On A Knife’s Edge by STATE OF YOU is a fantastic EP. It proves that the band have grown in the past three years and their sound has developed. They sound confident and the EP is well-produced, energetic, and varied in sound. Whilst the first song does cause the vocals to be overwhelmed by the instruments, the rest of the EP does not have that issue. The change in sound is handled well as each song builds upon each other, so it does not sound sudden. STATE OF YOU are one of the most exciting bands in rock music, and this EP proves why.
Rating: 9/10
On A Knife’s Edge is out now via Silent Cult Recordings.
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The post EP REVIEW: On A Knife’s Edge – State Of You appeared first on Distorted Sound Magazine.
