ALBUM REVIEW: Purify – Borders

When rib-bruising Lincoln quartet BORDERS forged a sturdy alliance with vocalist Jordan ‘JJ’ Olifent back in 2016, their sound developed in a fashion that brought a wealth of excitement, energy, and genre-mashing calibre. Gradually drifting into the focus of the heavy metal mainstream, they are now dead set on heading up the cavalry charge galloping towards a whole new take on British heavy music. With their sword swung high above their heads, none will be spared in their quest to break the mould and imprint a fusion of beastly riffs and scintillating groove upon the metal community.

Their weapon of choice is upcoming album Purify, which very much follows suit from their 2017 EP, Diagnosed. Bigger, better and with more mature heads on their shoulders, this outing sees them push beyond their own borders (pun intended) and summon new, exciting ideologies. 731 instigates the carnage, as guitarist Gavin Burton begins with a choppy riff before joining forces with djenty drums and an eerie bass-tone. A lengthy intro section deftly slips into a hefty vocal blitz, before we are given a first glance at Olifent’s rap-style voicing. As with other tracks on the album such as Wake Up, BORDERS exhort a politically charged agenda, covering deep and often personal topics such as the decrepit state of the healthcare system and even historic war atrocities.

Purify is music with purpose, and as we charge through Damage Everything and Bad Blood at breakneck speed, the album’s discourse is rammed home emphatically. Not too dissimilar to the work of HACKTIVIST, War thunders even through the quieter moments, a worthy focal point for the LP. It isn’t difficult to imagine Olifent belting around stage whipping the crowd into a typical frenzy, especially as Demon’s Reach ups the ante even further. Blistering riff work feels utterly drowning as we are submerged beneath a torrent of metallic rain. At times, it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what BORDERS are. Equal parts metalcore, rap-metal and djent, they even utilise deathcore speed on occasions. This all contributes to the deadly potion brewed. Given their endgame, this scattergun approach makes good sense. After all, they openly aim to be a game-changing band, but on the odd occasion, BORDERS do feel like a band still trying to diagnose their own identity.

This however cannot take away from what is a formidable debut LP. Nothing To Lose replicates the ultra-melodic success of metalcore titans PARKWAY DRIVE, and the mid-section of A World Apart features one of the gnarliest breakdowns you will hear throughout 2019. Likely destined to be a live favourite, a sheer wall of savagery ensues, sure to jerk any crowd-killer into rampant action. BORDERS find themselves on a steep learning curve, taking the path less travelled and encountering unchartered territory. Their influences are clear, but closing tracks Faded and Walking Dead remind us that composition is key. Typical musical nuances that we all listen to and love daily have been presented in such a way that feels transcendent. Strangely novel yet strangely familiar, Purify is a jigsaw puzzle completed wrong, yet the outcome is an unexpected stroke of contemporary excellence. It will surely push BORDERS in the direction they deserve.

Rating: 7/10

Purify is set for release May 10th via Long Branch Records.

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