EP REVIEW: Nothing Is Real – No Life On Earth
One-off video collaborations aside, NO LIFE ON EARTH must be one of the first COVID-19 supergroups. Featuring members of EMMINENCE, SCATTERED STORM, JOTA QUEST and HEREAFTER THE WAVE, it’s a project which unites musicians from Brazil and the USA. Despite the long distance between its members, the band have swiftly put together their first EP entitled Nothing Is Real. If nothing else, the record is at least a testament to the musicians’ ability to create art in trying circumstances. But there’s more to it than that. It’s an enjoyable collection of four hard-hitting groove metal tracks which draw strong comparisons to SEPULTURA and FEAR FACTORY.
One of the first things listeners are likely to notice about Nothing Is Real is its impressive guest features. This may be NO LIFE ON EARTH‘s first release, but they’ve enlisted the help of some pretty big names. Among them are vocalist Andre Acosta‘s HEREAFTER THE WAVE bandmate Hector Camarena, Andreas Kisser of SEPULTURA, MINISTRY‘s Cesar Soto and the producer Tue Madsen. Each of them delivers a solo on one track apiece, all of which are pretty impressive.
It doesn’t take long to realise what got Kisser on board in particular. First track Into Fire We Burn kicks off with a slice of pure SEPULTURA-esque groove. It’s so bouncy, with massive chunky bass parts and hard hitting guitar riffs. It also features the first and arguably the most memorable of the album’s several huge hooks. Here Acosta sounds incredibly reminiscent of TRIVIUM‘s Matt Heafy, delivering a chorus sure to stick in listener’s heads for hours after.
After this strong opening track, the EP doesn’t really throw up any surprises. Second song The Gravity continues the crushing groove of its predecessor, as does the following title track. This third song hits particularly hard, once again bringing SEPULTURA and even PANTERA to mind. It also shows a little more of the expansive side of NO LIFE ON EARTH, with atmospheric guitars and epic vocal harmonies.
As mentioned, Nothing Is Real features some massive hooks. While none quite reach the catchy heights of that of the opener, the title track’s chorus comes pretty close. Elsewhere, and especially on The Gravity, they are more reminiscent of FEAR FACTORY‘s more melodic moments. These hooks are definitely a stand-out feature of the record, and make the songs more accessible and easily memorable.
Of the EP’s guest solos, it seems the band save the very best for the closing track, Time Is Blind. This one’s performed by Madsen, who has worked with names as huge as MESHUGGAH, AUGUST BURNS RED and SUICIDE SILENCE. It has everything a great guitar solo should have – squealing harmonics, fast licks, and it’s consistently melodically interesting. The track itself is arguably a highlight, adding moments of dissonance and techy chugs whilst continuing to groove hard. If anything though, it does feel like it ends a bit abruptly, especially as the EP’s final song. In a way this highlights perhaps the central issue with this record: it feels like a collection of four tracks rather than a cohesive work. This may well be a product of the band members being based in different parts of the world, but it does slightly take away from an otherwise promising release.
Ultimately, while Nothing Is Real isn’t as cohesive as it could be, this shouldn’t put listeners off. Is it a bit meat and potatoes? Yes. Does it bring anything new to the table? Not really. But that doesn’t stop it from being a decent release by a band with an obvious love for great metal. Nor will it disappoint listeners looking to bang their heads, and bounce around for a quarter of an hour.
Rating: 7/10
Nothing Is Real is out now via Blood Blast.
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