EP REVIEW: Fools Tomorrow – Sicksense
Say what you will; the nu-metal resurgence is here whether you like it or not. While collectives such as BLACKGOLD want us to “Make nu-metal great again”, some will argue the genre wasn’t all that to begin with. That doesn’t stop the likes of recently reviewed CROSTPATHS or the returning SICKSENSE however, with the latter releasing their second EP, Fools Tomorrow, this coming Sunday.
Fools Tomorrow follows the group’s aptly-titled debut EP Kings Today (2022) but for those looking for more of the same, this may not be for them. Feed Them To The Wolves is a blistering slab of rap-infused metal. With string skipping melding with sampling, it could be mistaken for a lesser known SLIPKNOT demo from back in the day. Though the visceral screams from Vicky ‘Killer V’ Psarakis and Robby ‘Rob The Ripper’ Fonts soon pull us back to the present day. The at-present frontman of rap rock legends STUCK MOJO takes up the mantle of rap maestro tackling lily-livered leaders by claiming “we don’t need leaders being led by fools”, while Psarakis resumes her role from recently defunct THE AGONIST, flitting between singing and screams with little effort. With this said, there are some snagging points; where the verses have a wonderful groove to them with a hint of razor sharpness, the melancholic interlude simply doesn’t fit and passes by with little incident.
The title track picks up the slack as crisp riffs bleed into uncharacteristic shredding from FOZZY’s Billy Grey who takes the guest spot. Attention fully garnered, SICKSENSE have to work hard to maintain that. With a track swimming around the theme of self-discipline and having the nose to the grindstone they run the risk of becoming preachy and turning people off. Taking aim at those who “don’t wanna work but expect all the fun”, the guitars are wonderfully crunchy. However it has the same structure as the previous track with an interlude which doesn’t quite belong, but could this be seen as a departure from nu-metal and a leaning towards metalcore?
Labels aside, Invitation rings akin to SLIPKNOT or KORN with the guitars spiralling towards oblivion. We half expect LAMB OF GOD’s Redneck to kick in with the boast of “this is an invitation” but alas no dice. What we’re given instead is indeed an intimidation rap of “Go on test me / Make my day”. In the rap game, it’s not how it’s said but what’s being said… which becomes another issue. Some of the lyrics come across as half-baked and have a slight whiff of cheese, but doesn’t all nu-metal? Invitation had the potential to become one of the highlights of the EP yet this eagerness from SICKSENSE to showcase all the cards in the deck has them killing momentum with ill-placed melodic sections and spaced atmospherics throughout the EP.
Take Run And Hide for instance. It has the edge KORN wishes they’d maintained in the introduction but then it slows into a melodic singing chorus. It won’t make sense to everyone and doesn’t entirely to us but we simply may not be the target audience for this track. With this said, this is the only song which drags through its runtime. A rap section talks about being ahead of the curve but we wonder if the curve they want to be ahead of exists in the first place. Though let’s not focus purely on what doesn’t work; Psarakis’ vocals are undeniably a cut above the rest. The move to layer her screams and growls beneath sung sections is an example of the execution paying off. If SICKSENSE sit a little longer in what they know they can do well, the potential for them reaches another level.
What comes in the close is an acoustic ballad in Erase, Rewind. No, not a cover of that song by THE CARDIGANS. It shows a softer side to the band, much like Behind Blue Eyes did for LIMP BIZKIT, but it again feels out of place. This is purely Psarakis’ moment to shine as she sings of the “random thoughts and grand delusions” we all have of this finite life, and it’s a gorgeous sounding song that’s only added to with the introduction of an electric guitar for the solo, but we’re left wondering what the overarching theme of the EP is.
When we’re left with a question like that, does it mean the EP’s failed to do its job? Not necessarily. As we mentioned previously, this is a band of wonderful potential if they allowed themselves to sit in what they know for just a while longer. Bands want to be ahead of the curve and be the next big thing, absolutely, and we aren’t about to criticise anyone for wanting to push ahead. Before that can happen however, collectives need to know where their strengths lie and what they can improve upon. This is one example of what can happen if we jump the gun but it is also a learning experience SICKSENSE will surely take in their stride as they push forward to discover where they fit within the music world.
Rating: 6/10
Fools Tomorrow is set for release on June 11th via Sound Escape.
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