EP REVIEW: Invincible – Storm
Norwegian singer STORM is just 13, and yet he’s already caught the attention of the music industry. Real name Leo Davadi Sundli, he started his career back in 2019 when he joined the band, SNØSTORM. After drawing attention from the Norwegian media, Sundli left the band in 2020, and set up his new project, STORM. Taking influences from metalcore bands such as MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, as well as genre-bending bands like BRING ME THE HORIZON and singers such as YUNGBLUD, the four-track EP entitled Invincible is the first release from the project.
Whilst EPs are a great way to test the waters, some people might worry that only releasing four songs is selling yourself short. However, they shouldn’t worry when they hear Invincible. The first song, Beautiful Pain is a fantastic opener. There is a perfect mix of clean and unclean vocals. Furthermore, it sounds a little unpolished around the edges. Of course, whilst that might sound like a negative thing, it isn’t. As STORM is so young, it is going to sound a little rough. However, this simply brings back the nostalgia of early metalcore bands just starting out. This does not mean that the song sounds like a terrible demo. In fact, it’s quite the opposite, and is very well produced. There are small moments during the verses that don’t quite sound up to scratch, but it doesn’t leave the song sounding like it needs redoing.
On the other hand, Break Yourself is a much more polished effort. Even more important than that, it is a more improved metalcore song. Whilst the first song wasn’t bad, it definitely felt more focused on the clean vocals rather than the unclean vocals. On this song, however, there is a perfect balance. Another thing that is impressive about this EP is that the lyrics are written by STORM himself. They might seem a bit surface level to some people (“I’ll admit I’m not ok / But it’s a wonderful day” is one of the lyrics on Beautiful Pain), but STORM is still so young, so he has time to work on his lyrics. Regardless, for someone his age, they are very impressive lyrics.
Kingdom is the closing song. It is an electronic-based metalcore track that shows off some fantastic death growls and closes out the EP with a bouncing breakdown. What is most impressive about this EP – especially because it is a debut EP – is how good the pacing is. This could be down to the fantastic team of Martin Stenstad Selen, Erlend Gjerde, and Tobias Østerdal who produced the EP. They have made sure that this EP flows well together, and they have done a great job on that front.
In conclusion, Invincible is a fantastic debut. STORM clearly knows what direction he wants to go in. The sound is clear, and the songs are extremely well-produced. Despite a slightly rough start on the first song, this EP manages to improve upon itself. Of course, whilst the lyrics might seem surface-level, there is plenty of time for improvement. However, this EP is just a lot of fun to listen to, especially as STORM is extremely comfortable in the metalcore genre. He clearly has a bright future ahead of him, and this EP just cements it.
Rating: 8/10
Invincible is set for release on August 26th via Indie Recordings.
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