EP REVIEW: newviolenttrends – En Masse
Returning the genre to its heyday, Connecticut-based post-hardcore trio EN MASSE channel their inspirations with a fresh modern twist. Dropping their debut full length back in 2023 EN MASSE have made a name for themselves with their refreshingly retro GLASSJAW and DEFTONES inspired brand of post-hardcore, taking their late 90s and early noughties heroes and repackaging their sound with crisp modern production. Now, on their follow-up EP newviolenttrends, the three-piece keep things short and sweet with a swift blast of streamlined fury.
Despite only consisting of four relatively brief tracks newviolenttrends punches well above its weight with a tightly balanced mix of hard-hitting riffs, dense atmospheres and dynamic vocals. Opening track justthisonce acts as an emotional primer for the rest of the album’s heavy yet vulnerable material as frontman Zack Santiago opens up about his lack of autonomy and the repeating cycles he finds himself living through against a backdrop of stomping percussion and rich, distorted guitars. Like their old school inspirations EN MASSE manage to find the perfect middle ground between hardcore punk’s furious energy and alt-rock’s intimate vulnerability.
As the EP thunders on EN MASSE’s varied inspirations become more obvious without outshining the band’s own unique voice. With groovy distorted riffs on masq giving way to taketwo’s airy shoegaze inspired sounds the impact of DEFTONES is front and centre but more unexpected influences such as THE CURE, particularly in the angsty clean vocals, and THRICE in some of the more dramatic and boundary pushing elements of the EP. While many bands claim to act in a vacuum EN MASSE embrace those who came before, crafting their creative voice from a patchwork of musical heroes and creating something totally new in the process.
While only about twelve minutes in length, newviolenttrends manages to fit in a plethora of varied sounds, pulling from shoegaze, metalcore, post-hardcore and alternative rock. No track shows off EN MASSE’s constantly shifting sound as much as EP closer Celine which shifts from discordant EVERY TIME I DIE style metalcore to chugging, spin kick ready hardcore before the first moody chorus, all with an underlying shoegaze fuzz. EN MASSE do so much with their brief runtime on newviolenttrends but there isn’t a single moment that feels like it doesn’t fit or feel thrown in for the sake of it, the entire EP stands up as an elegantly cohesive statement.
While wearing their inspirations on their sleeve, Connecticut-based trio EN MASSE manage to create a refreshingly retro post-hardcore sound that simultaneously feels new and exciting rather than like a carbon copy of their heroes. In only twelve minutes newviolenttrends cements the three-piece as a name to keep a close eye on as they pull post-hardcore into the future without forgetting the genre’s roots.
Rating: 8/10
newviolenttrends is set for release June 20th via Fever Ltd.
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