Japanese metalcore veterans Sailing Before the Wind are back with their new EP ‘Immemorial’, showing everybody that they still belong in the ever-growing Tokyo metalcore scene.
This ep features re-recordings of some of the best tracks from over the years, breathing new life into some already excellent tracks.
Kicking off the EP with intro Decaders, this intro is a statement as the band celebrates their decade in the scene. The guitarists set the tone brilliantly as the track builds into a classic metalcore tune with that hint of a mathcore sound. With effervescent guitar tone, heavy rhythm section and vocals that are not shy about coming in-it is a great way to kick off this EP.
It then goes into the blistering Sail Away, a track that may sound like it is going to be a soft one but is quite quickly kicked up a notch. A perfect song for the pit. Originally appearing on their first release ‘Horizon’, it is hard to believe that this song is 11 years old. Showing sounds that were quite innovative for the time- this rerecording not just holds up but sounds as if it was written in today’s evolution of metalcore.
The next track, Cross the Ocean also appeared on ‘Horizon’ and unlike its fellow track- it really sounds of the time for 2011. Not that this is a bad thing. Capturing that classic metalcore sound of the era, it’s a welcome throwback that never gets old. The breakdown is an eclectic stop-start of impressive sounds, jumping from the classic chug to an ethereal sound and even prominent bass lines. It is quite honest to say that nothing is boring when it comes to this track.
Break the Silence, the single from this EP and a rerecording off Sailing Before the Wind’s ‘A Ray of Light’ release from 2012 once again shows just how before their time they are. While the song sounds crisper, it does not lose that early 2010’s metalcore sound. While the guitars were mentioned earlier, you really cannot talk about this track without mentioning it. A clean guitar tone that drives home that yes, metalcore is supposed to be a mix of metal and hardcore.
Rounding off the EP is a new track, Misguided Sunrise featuring guest vocals from Lucas Spencer, frontman of Feed the Addiction. It is always interesting to see how bands evolve over the years and this band shows that not only are they able to hang with the new metalcore bands, but they are also still creating music that aligns with their original sound.
It is an EP that is perfect for those who are missing the original metalcore sound of a lot of early metalcore acts, without falling into all the cliches.
Sailing Before The Wind are slept on when it comes to some of their Japanese counterparts but ‘Immemorial’ shows that they deserve the same shine. As somebody who has been a huge metalcore fan since 2005, this hits all the right marks and will become a permanent part of my playlist.
Release Year: 2021
Label: self-released
Category: EP
Country: Japan
Reviewed by Kayla Hamilton
Sailing Before The Wind: Facebook
