Our Imbalance
So normally, when a band gets in touch with us we find out all sorts of information about them, look into where they’re from and when their album came out etc, but in the case of Our Imbalance, they don’t seem to want to give a lot away. The chaps were good enough to send us through a copy of their debut self titled EP, but other than that, all I can tell you is that they’re a hardcore/metal band from Liverpool – so to the music. (please note – the order in which the tracks are reviewed does not necessarily represent the order of the EP, merely the order in which they downloaded themselves!)
Opening with Counting The Days there’s a show of force from the guys, opening with a hammering guitar line combined with roaring vocals, the mix immediately grabbing you by the throat and forcing you into a pit of all out devastation. Powerful would be an understatement in regards to what’s going on here, the rolling drums hammering out the insane beat whilst the guitar and bass combo keep a sense of melody and power over everything, and the roaring vocal lines tear it all up and force you to listen. As an introduction to a band this seems to work damned well, immediately showing off the bands style and giving you now option but to take part! Deception continues this idea, once again throwing you into a melee of fast paced drumming, roaring vocal lines, hammering guitars and a bass line that’s going to get your rib cage shaking. This was one of my personal favourite tracks from the EP due to the combination of different elements on show throughout, it’s one of those tracks which is going to get you singing along, get you to a show and make this a band you come back to time and time again.
False Pride almost lures us into a sense of false safety (I’m guessing this is the opening track but without track numbers, can’t say for sure!), opening soft and almost fading into being across the track and allowing a moment to sit and take in what’s going on, no lyrics or vocals, just soft backing music throughout. As if to contrast this though, Obstacles follows on and immediately throws down the gauntlet once again, showing off the full force of the band as we’re thrown into a death metal like mixture of hammering guitar lines and guttural roaring. The sheer power of this track is accentuated further by the soft one before it, making this into something which borders on the outright insane, yet managing to keep it within the confines of what you would expect from a record like this. Sleepers once again continues this idea, hammering onwards with the raucous guitar work and hammering drum combination to form something that you know is going to get pits moving across the live venues where this is played.
Closing with Try To Please there’s one final hurrah so to speak on the album, finishing with a track which is once again powerful, hard hitting and somehow melodic at the same time. Throughout this track there’s a sense of pure energy, a feeling that this is the sort of track which is going to realise its full potential on the live scene, the sort of track which will build a reputation for these guys as a band to make sure you check out.
Personally, I like the sound that Our Imbalance have gone for as they seem to have managed to balance out the power with a sense of melody, showing that when a band sets their mind to it, it’s possible to do both and do them well. As a record this one does what it should, introduces you to a band and gets you wanting to know more about what they’re up to – definitely a band to keep an eye out for.
To find out more about Our Imbalance, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Opening with Counting The Days there’s a show of force from the guys, opening with a hammering guitar line combined with roaring vocals, the mix immediately grabbing you by the throat and forcing you into a pit of all out devastation. Powerful would be an understatement in regards to what’s going on here, the rolling drums hammering out the insane beat whilst the guitar and bass combo keep a sense of melody and power over everything, and the roaring vocal lines tear it all up and force you to listen. As an introduction to a band this seems to work damned well, immediately showing off the bands style and giving you now option but to take part! Deception continues this idea, once again throwing you into a melee of fast paced drumming, roaring vocal lines, hammering guitars and a bass line that’s going to get your rib cage shaking. This was one of my personal favourite tracks from the EP due to the combination of different elements on show throughout, it’s one of those tracks which is going to get you singing along, get you to a show and make this a band you come back to time and time again.
False Pride almost lures us into a sense of false safety (I’m guessing this is the opening track but without track numbers, can’t say for sure!), opening soft and almost fading into being across the track and allowing a moment to sit and take in what’s going on, no lyrics or vocals, just soft backing music throughout. As if to contrast this though, Obstacles follows on and immediately throws down the gauntlet once again, showing off the full force of the band as we’re thrown into a death metal like mixture of hammering guitar lines and guttural roaring. The sheer power of this track is accentuated further by the soft one before it, making this into something which borders on the outright insane, yet managing to keep it within the confines of what you would expect from a record like this. Sleepers once again continues this idea, hammering onwards with the raucous guitar work and hammering drum combination to form something that you know is going to get pits moving across the live venues where this is played.
Closing with Try To Please there’s one final hurrah so to speak on the album, finishing with a track which is once again powerful, hard hitting and somehow melodic at the same time. Throughout this track there’s a sense of pure energy, a feeling that this is the sort of track which is going to realise its full potential on the live scene, the sort of track which will build a reputation for these guys as a band to make sure you check out.
Personally, I like the sound that Our Imbalance have gone for as they seem to have managed to balance out the power with a sense of melody, showing that when a band sets their mind to it, it’s possible to do both and do them well. As a record this one does what it should, introduces you to a band and gets you wanting to know more about what they’re up to – definitely a band to keep an eye out for.
To find out more about Our Imbalance, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls