The eight tracks flow into one another going through the cycles of being the “hunter” and the “bleeder”. The themes put on display are vivid and chilling. The music ranges from the aggressive heavy “hunter” themes to the soft and meek “bleeder” stages seamlessly allowing both extremes to be felt with full force!
The two minute opening tune Into the east sets the mood for the album, showing off a bleak soundscape that has a thick atmosphere and is utterly beautiful. Hunters and bleeders is a hart felt epic tune sounding like Missy Higgins crossed with Joy Division. The music slowly creeps up around you before grabbing hold and not letting go. This is further emphasised by the passionate vocal delivery that flows out with a great feeling of agony and despair. Half way through the 7 minute tune the music takes a sharp turn to become heavy and aggressive. The ends with the confronting lyrics of “don’t tell my mother, better she don’t see how the bleeders hunt for me”.
Drifter is a soft slow burning indie rock tune with elements of Bjork and Radiohead in the mix. The music starts nice and softly, building gradually in depth while maintaining a chilled out and shoegazey atmosphere. The disjointed vocal delivery works well in giving an extra emotional effect.
Shallows is a bleak but beautiful offering. The music has a chilling feel flowing from empty soft moments to heavier aggressive stages. The vocals follow the soundtrack perfectly, full of passion, emotion, and a lot of power!
Sleep spindles is a slow but heavy, almost metallic, tune that flows through loud raging and menacing sounds before going soft and sombre and back again.
The CD closes with the emotionally piercing “beast”. While perhaps the most simple and stripped back track, it manages to really hit where it hurts giving the release a great finish you won’t forget in a hurry.
This is one powerful release that pulls no punches nor lets up at any stage. While it has been billed as an EP there is easily an albums worth of material here with absolutely no filler!
