EP REVIEW: Grief Enslaved – Reclaimer

You can come to learn that the phrase ‘hardcore’ can encompass quite a lot under its umbrella. When you remember the origins of the genre come from the chord driven punk rock eruption of the late 70’s, the inclusion of melody into the blueprint has always been a staple of the underground sound. Over the decades, this form of melodic hardcore has been perfected through the likes of COUNTERPARTS, STICK TO YOUR GUNS, and THE GHOST INSIDE, the sound has a real emotional honesty about it that makes it easy fodder for a more some raw exposure to the inner workings of troubled minds. The British RECLAIMER have thrown their hat into the arena now, with their latest EP Grief Enslaved.

Now that is a pretty bold title for an EP, given the multiple different ways one can spin its meaning. RECLAIMER waste absolutely no time diving full speed right into the meat and potatoes of their sound. Melancholy kicks with familiar lead guitars intertwined with pummelling rhythms, and sounds to be within spitting distance of bands likes COUNTERPARTS. The song lacks any real knockout punch, instead going for longer and more narrative song structures to provide the impact throughout the EP.

Despite how confidently RECLAIMER smash through the five songs on Grief Enslaved, there always feels to be a lingering feeling of other bands having done things just slightly better. With a gap in the market now that CASEY have bowed out, there is a definite need for a band as emotionally raw as RECLAIMER are. Closed Letter and Let Go are both vital tracks despite their second-hand sound, and it is on the latter that the Lincoln group really show their true talents. With a soaring lead guitar line that anchors the song, the vocals lie atop the mix and extort the tangible emotion from the listener, with the consistent pace keeping the energy brimming.

There is a lot to be liked on Grief Enslaved. Immediately from the striking title to the confident delivery of narrative driven melodic hardcore, RECLAIMER have made a genuine impact with introducing themselves to the masses. With clear veins of creativity to mine, the young group simply need to begin honing their sound and carving their identity to come more to the forefront, and have their influences work into the music as opposed to serving as advertisements for other bands within the genre. Grief Enslaved is a great step in the right direction for such a young band, and the emotional honesty that RECLAIMER come with will be the reason you stick around.

Rating: 7/10

Grief Enslaved is out now via Famined Records. 

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