EP REVIEW: Insurrection – Artifact

Despite only playing their first show in December 2021, ARTIFACT have been making waves in the music industry and have already shared stages with bands like WITHIN DESTRUCTION, SIGNS OF THE SWARM, and NORTHLANE. Insurrection is the Australian metalcore band’s new EP, with four songs that cover everything from mental health to media fuelled mass-hysteria.

Mass Psychosis is a good opening song, with Michael Veneris‘s guttural vocals perfectly complementing Rebecca Horseman‘s angelic singing voice. Whilst the instruments are a little flat, with the riffs and drum beat mostly repeating the same beat, there is an opportunity for them to break out of the repetition with a fantastic breakdown. However, that only lasts a few moments before it reverts back to the same beat.

Thankfully, Collapse fixes this issue. Right from the start, the instruments sound more alive. They are louder and more noticeable. However, at times during the song, they do sound a bit overwhelming, and – on occasion during the song – they do override the vocals, making it hard to hear them. Furthermore, as this song is comprised of screamed vocals, it can become a little rowdy. That being said, the band are still in their early days and they still have plenty of time to figure things out.

Nadir and Nascent are the final two songs. The first is a brilliant blend of heavy vocals and singing, with the instruments a lot louder than they were in the opening song. The only issue is, due to the mixing, the drums sometimes drown out the vocals. However, other than that, it is a very enjoyable song that showcases the band’s talent. As a closing song, Nascent pulls out all the stops to make an impact. There’s an instrumental introduction, soundbites, and more fantastic vocal performances. Unfortunately, the soundbite is mixed in a peculiar way, and therefore it is a bit hard to make out what is being said. However, apart from that, it’s a brilliant closer.

The pacing of the EP is very fast, but the songs still have a long enough runtime to make the most out of the fact that there are only four tracks. It does not sound like the EP was rushed or unfinished in any way; instead it’s clear that a lot of care and attention to detail was put into it.

Overall, despite a few production issues, Insurrection is a fun and interesting EP from ARTIFACT, who are quickly proving themselves to be one of the most exciting up and coming metal bands. It is also important to remember that it is still early days for the band, and this fast-paced EP is a promising one despite only being four songs long. Whilst it is clear that they have carved out a fantastic sound and identity, there is still time for them to improve upon this and flesh it out. However, if any of their future works sound like this, with a little tweaking, ARTIFACT could soon prove to be a very big deal indeed. They are definitely a name to watch out for.

Rating: 7/10

Insurrection is set for release on June 9th via self-release.

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