Look, there are metalcore bands and there are metalcore bands.
It’s a genre with a bit of a checkered history and you’re really not sure how much of it to like or hate. This is a strange thing to say, but I struggle with metalcore that sounds too much like metalcore. I’m not sure if that is a thing or not, but there is something about some metalcore that ticks all the boxes but misses a soul, or a centre that is worth paying attention to. And thank the lord that Mirrors does not fall into that category.
Mirrors EP releases Cold Sanctuary has all of the hallmarks of a modern metalcore band – the chunky guitar sounds, the backing tracks, the haunting lead guitar, the bass drops and the yelling rather than screaming to get the point across. But it’s done with conviction and authenticity. Goodman’s vocals demonstrate a variety of skills, but his mid-range yell is simply brilliant.
The guitar tone is fairly generic, but the playing adds a flurry to the mix that is well appreciated. Brens drumming (as always in any of the projects he is a part of) is impeccable. It is those slight changes, the 1%-ters that make this band begin to stand out from the pack. It is easy to become swept up in this, especially if metalcore is your thing, but I feel there is still some way to go before a band like this will drag the attention of the metal elitists out there, and make something that all members of the heavy metal community will revere as a standout release. Suitable for those who sleep in a bed surrounded by ripped white fabric hanging from the walls.
Release Year: 2019
Label: self-released
Category: EP
Country: Australia
Reviewed by Liam Frost-Camilleri
