EP REVIEW: Detox – Past Five

Formed in 2015, Swedish alternative metal outfit PAST FIVE consists of guitarist and lead vocalist Jonathan Wallin, guitarist and backing vocalists Jonathan Yderhag and Simon Hellgren, bassist
Alexander Orlov, and drummer Jerri Lassinniemi. The band first started out as a project in their early teenage years before becoming serious as their songwriting improved. A lot of live shows and one EP later, in 2019, the band played Emergenza European music festival in the Swedish division. This in turn earned them a Top 10 Ranking in Sweden. With one EP already under their belt, will PAST FIVE hit a home run with Detox, their second EP?

The opening song – entitled Playing With Fire (When Your Friends Are Enemies) – immediately has an infectious energy as Lassinniemi, Hellgren and Yderhag team up to deliver heart pounding drums and guitars respectively. However, Wallin‘s vocals are hard to hear over the instruments, making this initial track somewhat underwhelming and a disappointing start to Detox. Kryptonite thankfully rectifies this mixing issue, allowing the pacing of the EP to even out. Unfortunately, this only happens for the verses, as the chorus is very hard to hear. This strange mixing choice unfortunately makes the opening tracks sound almost more like instrumental works, and gives Detox immediately a rushed, unfinished feel. This is a great shame, as it’s clear PAST FIVE have potential.

With Close to the Exit, it seems PAST FIVE have finally mastered the vocals-to-instrument ratio at the mixing desk. This is easily the strongest song on the EP. Throughout, the instruments are fresher and the vocals are easier to hear – there are even some unclean vocals at the end of the song, showing a bit of versatility and a broadening of their horizons. Final song God Forbid continues the stronger mixing from Close to the Exit. It is a shame that Detox started out weakly – the last two songs are a vast improvement, with the instrumentation takes a back seat to let the vocals shine. However, this does not mean that the instruments are forgotten about; towards the end of God Forbid, PAST FIVE make use of a guitar solo reminiscent of the golden age of classic rock.

Detox has a weak start; the first two songs have a lot of energy in the instruments, but poor vocal mixing lets the EP down, giving an underwhelming start for a promising band. Thankfully, it sorts itself out for the final two songs, which are easily the highlight of the EP. Mixing issues aside, PAST FIVE show a lot of potential – particularly with Detox‘s second half.

Rating: 6/10

Detox is out now via Eclipse Records. 

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