EP REVIEW: A Hundred Thousand Tongues – Sobriquet

SOBRIQUET are a five-piece post-hardcore band from Sheffield, consisting of vocalist Ludovico Fahey, guitarists Tom Green-Morgan and James Askew, bassist Michael Chilton and drummer James Turner. For their newest EP, A Hundred Thousand Tongues, they used Sheffield studio Steel City Studio, and took influence from the likes of FEVER 333, GLASSJAW and AT THE DRIVE IN to create a unique sound that is entirely their own. With their own style and a series of well-received shows across the UK, SOBRIQUET have gained serious underground recognition here in the UK, and hope to solidify their place in the British rock scene with A Hundred Thousand Tongues.

A Hundred Thousand Tongues is the band’s second EP, and the fresher, more professional sound from their work with Steel City Studio is an immediate step up from their previous releases. Opening song Higami is a great example of that. It has hard-hitting guitars and drums, but it’s the vocals which are most impressive, as they take on almost a monstrous tone. The band have expertly captured the post-hardcore sound, whilst also updating it with the clean vocals complimenting the unclean vocals. Higami a strong start for SOBRIQUET.

Eros continues the strong start, even if it is a softer song. The energy is still there, but the unclean vocals are at the forefront of the song. Thankfully – despite being slightly softer and grungier – the pacing is not effected, and it fits nicely into the EP. Epiphany is an awkward and disappointing middle child of a song. The soft grunge-meets-post-hardcore theme does help with the pacing, and continues the more mellow sound established by Eros, but an abrupt ending feels rushed and unfinished, leaving a lot to be desired.

Benighted, however, is the total opposite: fast paced, high energy and in-your-face. The tone is grungier, building up the tension with rising guitars before all hell breaks loose as an almighty breakdown happens towards the end. Further, the transition in the song from post-hardcore to grunge is so subtle, listeners will hardly notice it. The transition in the song also does not affect the pacing of the song or the EP overall, and brings A Hundred Thousand Tongues to a strong end.

Despite the abrupt ending, A Hundred Thousand Tongues is a strong EP full of gang vocals, unclean vocals and heavy instrumentation. Strengthening their sound thanks to a more professional execution, this is easily their best release to date. After six years in the game, SOBRIQUET seem to be finally making waves.

Rating 8/10

A Hundred Thousand Tongues is set for release May 1st via self release. 

Like SOBRIQUET on Facebook.