Forest of Tygers — Bruises
In the band's most crushing breakdowns, they are clearly disciples of Neurosis, and the sheer desperation and urgency of this EP does this influence justice. The guitarist's chord choices are perfect for building tension, and the vocalist's throaty yells are solid as brick, though not as subtlely melodic as those of Scott Kelly.
They have also in part taken their exotic sounding assymmetrical melodic arpeggiations from Mastodon (who was said to have taken them from Tool back in the days of "Remission"), and their 'stampeding' groove from High on Fire. This style of metal seemingly allows a lot of room for creativity within its framework, so its good to see a younger generation of bands attempting it.
The guitar tone here is something of a perfect balance, comparable to Isis, with extraordinary clarity in its oceanic hugeness: perfect for the complex, emotional chords found in this music. The production, in general, is beyond reproach, sounding warm and live but also crystal clear. The drums in particular have a pleasantly booming quality.
The second track "As Flakes of Ash" opens with the classic "I'm sorry! I did so many bad things" sample from "Bad Lieutenant". Though I've heard it too many times by now, there is genuine darkness in the sample, and also in this song, which is distinctly black metal in style compared to the first. For most of the song, two longing chords are alternated in a constant chugging strum just shy of the usual speed of black metal tremolo.
"Wet Death", the final 2 minute track, opens with a Southern tinged riff that fans of Down should not be able to resist. With a murderous galloping double time rhythm that breaks into a shout along finale, it makes the perfect ending and shows that the band has a flair for making an album into a narrative piece.
In the course of a short 20 minutes, one really begins to feel the melancholy and emotional struggle of these musicians. Their playing is intensely earnest and heartfelt. At first, I thought the band borrowed too heavily from their influences, but I now recognize their distinctive darker voice after a couple of listens to this EP. Judging by the ambition with which they have created "Bruises", which covers an impressive amount of ground in its short running time, I am excited to see what the band could do on a full length release. I highly recommend this EP to anyone who enjoys the bands I have mentioned in this review.