EP REVIEW: Eligible To Die – Ends Of Sanity
ENDS OF SANITY follow up their 2021 self-titled debut EP with Eligible To Die. The five-track EP from the North Carolina hardcore band was recorded and produced by drummer Jeremy White. The band have become known for their energetic live shows, playing alongside the likes of PAIN OF TRUTH and the legendary MERAUDER. Unlike their previous EP, the band have not released any singles for Eligible To Die, and instead they’ve opted to let the music speak for itself as one full listening experience.
And what an experience it is. Right from the start, ENDS OF SANITY leave no stone unturned. The guitars are fast and brutal; the drums are pounding and heavy; the vocals showcase some fantastic screams, and there are some gang vocals thrown in for good measure.
Whilst the band offer brutality upon brutality, especially on songs such as the title track and See Through You, there is not a lot that makes them stand out from the crowd. Realistically a lot of this has been done before. On the other hand, that’s not to say that the band don’t try their hardest to be different, because there are moments when they do. An example of this is the call to arms before a guitar solo in See Through You.
Unfortunately, though perhaps unsurprisingly given the genre in question – the band also seem to have one emotion, which is anger across all five songs. This can make it hard to differentiate between the tracks unless you are following the track listing. That said though, there is also the viewpoint that if you are having a really hard day and just want to let some frustration out, then this is the EP for you.
Furthermore, it is ENDS OF SANITY‘s second ever release. It is early days for the band, and they might change things up later down the line. Whilst the EP might just be full blown anger, there is clear passion and dedication behind it. The band sound really strong together, and as a band member produced it, this is clearly what the band want to sound like. Also, despite the onslaught of rage, the pacing of the overall EP means that the songs do not sound too short, despite their relatively tight runtimes. Even though the songs do eventually bleed into one angry wash, the pacing is nice and even.
It is clear that ENDS OF SANITY definitely fit well together as a group. They are a passionate and talented band who are flourishing in the early stages of their career. Overall, they have the makings of a fantastic hardcore outfit, but their sophomore EP does fall into the trappings of a band still trying to differentiate themselves from the crowd. At the moment, like a lot of hardcore bands, they mostly just rely on anger to get the job done, but if they can lean into some more variation on future releases they have a bright future ahead of them. It’s still early days yet for them, and if you’re having a hard day, then this EP might just be the tonic you need.
Rating: 6/10
Eligible To Die is out now via DAZE.
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