EP REVIEW: Me and All My Demons – Jawfane
JAWFANE have been building their sound from the ground up over the past four years. Although they have roots in both metalcore and hardcore, they refuse to be put into one box. Starting out as secret writing sessions has transformed into something bigger than ever. Their debut EP, Me And All My Demons, is raw and cathartic, and emphasises the band’s ability to channel personal struggles into powerful songs.
Across five songs, the band deliver an introduction like no other. Opening song Damaged Goods is a dark, fast-paced song, full of heavy guitar riffs, death metal growls, and some fantastic singing during the choruses. However, the most interesting part of the song is the isolated vocals during the pre-chorus, which add a new and interesting dimension. Cataclysm (Nightmare) mixes things up by having a song with no singing, whereas the title track continues the formula that was started in the opening song of having a mixture of singing and screams.
Friends and Enemies adds some choir backing vocals and is heavy on the singing. There are even some synths mixed into the backing of the instruments. It breathes new life into the EP. Whilst the first songs are great by themselves, they sound sonically similar, which causes them to blend into each other. As this is the band’s first EP, it is still early days for them.
Closing song Time Haunts Us All is an interesting closing song. On the one hand, the instruments are heavily muted throughout the first half of the song by the production, making them sound like they are underwater. The vocals are fine, but they easily overwhelm the instruments. Thankfully, things improve as the song goes on, and the production evens things out when it comes to the instruments and the vocals being heard. Sonically, the EP sticks to a formula for the majority of its runtime. Whilst this is good for a debut release, it does also mean that the band don’t stray from the well-worn path.
Overall, Me And All My Demons is a good start for a new band. Whilst they play it a bit safe sound-wise, they do also mix things up towards the end of the EP. Furthermore, this is the band’s debut EP, and they still have plenty of time to improve. However, it does make them hard to differentiate from every other metalcore/hardcore band, which is a shame, because there are glimmers of interesting moments throughout the EP, such as the choir backing vocals during the fourth song, which is easily the most experimental. However, these are still early days for JAWFANE, and if they continue with embracing their more experimental side, they could easily be one of the most exciting new bands on the scene.
Rating: 6/10
Me And All My Demons is out now via Exitus Stratagem.
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