"Black Abandon" opens the EP in a fury; reintroducing the band with a hectic guitar riff and a blistering pace that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It's the perfect song to start with, too, as it really showcases the band and all the members' individual talents, including powerful screams and some pretty gnarly bass. "Cryptic Worship" is a favorite of mine, especially with what feels like some heavy Living Sacrifice influence in the vocal rhythms and percussion. The lead guitar work in the last 90 seconds is exceptional, as well. Brotality throws in a bit more melody in the back half of "Nightswimmer," with stanzas that are a lot more singable than usual - though the song is still capped off with a section of deathcore-like heaviness, in case you thought they were going soft. The whole EP really displays a Brotality that is not only the best and tightest it's ever been, but also quite possibly the most diverse and well-rounded, as well. And it still feels like these guys are only going to continue getting better.
Taking a look at the song titles, one would rightly assess that this EP deals with some darker subject material. "Black Abandon" is a poignant title, as the song describes a place of pure abandonment, feeling utterly alone as thick darkness surrounds the soul. The lyrics are unsettling and all-too-relatable for those who have felt alone ("I crawl along and look for a place to die / this place has lived in my dreams / and now I stand at the precipice / a smile stretches at me, abandoned / vision of black grin, white teeth / eating collops of my flesh / without a name, but it has to die / revisions of a death note / evil fellowship, dead communion"). "It Feeds" continues the theme of loneliness and despair, but also serves as the turning point, where we start to see some hope introduced, which ultimately leads into the redemptive closer, "The Bones of God." The song still touches on the struggles with darkness, but also emphasizes God watching over us and protecting us ("The smoke is shifting into shadows / after the tears are gone / I feel it twisting in the sheets / still I pray that I could carry you above / God watches me in dreams / Hell shadows me in sleep / love is buried in our bones / in the bones of you and God"). I'm not sure I'd call It Feeds a concept album, but it definitely has an interesting, hope-in-the-midst-of-darkness arc to it that is always refreshing.
After The Woods Will End You, the Brotality camp seemed to go a bit quiet -- not completely inactive, but there were various points when I wondered about the future of the band. But I'm pleased to say that these guys are back and better than ever. It Feeds is a monster of an EP, hitting hard and heavy without forsaking the high quality musicianship and songwriting skills that Brotality has become known for. Welcome back, fellas! I can't wait to see where you go from here.
- Review date: 6/26/24, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com
Record Label: None
Album length: 5 tracks: 22 minutes, 50 seconds
Street Date: June 28, 2024
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