EP REVIEW: Cruel World – The Shrine

THE SHRINE have come a long way from their humble beginnings of warehouse skate parties and guitar shops in their hometown of Venice, California. Since the release of the band’s previous effort Rare Breed, the band have gone from strength to strength and have some pretty high profile supporting slots under their belts, opening for bands such as SLAYER and GHOST along with a performance at the prestigious Ozzfest festival. This year THE SHRINE return with their follow up to Rare Breed with a small appetiser of what’s to come in the form of an EP named Cruel World.

The eponymous opening track kicks off with a simple BLACK SABBATH influenced guitar riff, with an American rock n’ roll twist. The fact that the music is relatively basic for the most part works wonders for the accessibility of the sound, meaning that THE SHRINE can switch between both the punk rock and metal scenes with ease and reach as wide of an audience as possible. The chorus is catchy as hell and the vocal harmonies from frontman Josh Landau and his band mates interplay wonderfully to ensure that the hook really shines through, this is a shining example of the band’s penchant for writing big melodies. The guitar solo towards the end of the track is everything you’d want from classic rock/metal, soaked in a wah effect and wailing over the top of the other instruments. A great opening to the extended play.

The other side of THE SHRINE is on display in the track The Taste Of Blood and that is the punk rock attitude that flows through the very veins of the band. The upbeat, high energy of the song is something that will surely become a highlight of the band’s live show going forward, particularly the gang vocals that are utilised throughout, to boost the more melodic sections of the track. Unfortunately the mix for this song is a massive downsize. The volume of the vocals are so high, that they tend to drown out the other instruments and this is a real shame as it rather muzzles some of the most impressive musicianship on the entire release. In particular, a guitar solo that sounds like it could be a real highlight if it was a little more prominent in the mix.

Overall Cruel World is a decent release. It ticks plenty of boxes for both metal and punk rock fans alike. The songs are catchy, well written and the energy of the songs is palpable. Unfortunately though the songs are simply not memorable enough to make a lasting impact on the listener. All of the ideas that are on display on the album have been done before and in many instances they have been done better. A fun release from THE SHRINE, but one that lacks originality and any real substance.

Rating: 6/10

Cruel World is set for release May 3rd via self-release. 

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