It's been over two years since we last heard from The Wedding, and it's been over three years since fans have received a full-length album. However, fans now have something new from the Texas natives: Distance EP. However, the now independent quintet have a tall task set before them as they try to top their outstanding 2008 EP, The Sound The Steel.

Instead of faithfully continuing the seamless, alternative punk flavored rock music of the band's previous EP, The Wedding takes The Sound The Steel EP and meets it halfway with the edgier rock sound of Polarity (the group's sophomore project). Lead singer Matt Shelton once again takes the reins and ambitiously drives the "Distance Between You And I," which is similar to Children 18:3's "Rain's ‘A Comin'," only with an extra post-rock edge. But the Wedding mostly leaves that particular flavor aside when they move into the EP and "Heartbreak In Melody," a guitar-driven tune that works as a solid rock song where brief screams are sporadically interjected.

With portions of "Won't Back Down" sounding like The Almost's Monster Monster, the band delivers their most accomplished, diverse punk-rock tune on the EP with that easy highlight. "Not What I'm Doing Now" is the most uninspiring track on the release, until the final segment receives a memorable contribution from both Shelton and calculated screeching guitars. Fueled by constant grinding guitars, "Remedy" is an angsty, fist pumping shout-out that will enthuse some while alienate others. The melodic finale, "The Same Mistake," is likely the best song of the EP as the emotional chorus borders on epic.

The lyrics are a bit more non-specific than the band's previous endeavors, but, from the few cries of desperation we do see on Distance EP, discerning listeners should be able to fill in the blanks. The lyrics on both the title first track and "Remedy" attempt to navigate past falsehoods to uncover the truth about the Savior. After singing "If this love changes everything you know/… I can't afford to make the same mistake," Shelton adds, "I'm calling out your name in the strangest ways" on "The Same Mistake."

It's arguable whether Distance EP is better than The Sound The Steel EP because an indie-rock fan will prefer the former over the latter (which will appeal to a punk-rock enthusiast). Either way, The Wedding has produced a fine EP which hopefully indicates that a full-length project is on the way. Rock fans won't want to pass up checking out this release.

- Review date: 11/23/10, written by Nathaniel Schexnayder of Jesusfreakhideout.com