EP REVIEW: Revenge – Taken By The Tide

This UK born progressive metal outfit TAKEN BY THE TIDE, made their debut on the scene in 2010. In the time that has passed, they have come on leaps and bounds since their first release, There Is No Such Thing As An Atheist In A Foxhole, arriving currently with their brand new EP, Revenge. The quintet has been making waves in the djent scene within the UK, with their progressive and hardcore elements leaving them with comparisons to the likes of MESHUGGAH and SYLOSIS. Despite this, they incorporate many elements and styles into their work and should not be dismissed as another “alike”.

The introducing track to Revenge, The Organs Are Mine, jumps out straight away as an incredibly intense and hammering track, with the classic technicality that is expected of the genre, and eerie guitar licks in the background to compliment. Not to mention the groove riddled and thundering drums pummelling you into the ground, while vocalist Phil Illsley screams with an intensity that would surely put the fear of God into you. Throughout the track, the heaviness only increases with each passing moment as the ire swells with a parallel to the speed.

Grave Lessons is up next, with a slightly different pace, not as rapid as the opening salvo but with a similar aggression. This however, incorporates some black-metal-esque vocal stylings interludes, laced with some metalcore riff patterns. At the halfway point the track meets its climax, with guttural roars and slow, impending drums hammering home the simple anger that one might feel while grieving a loved one. The rest of Grave Lessons include slower, more instrumental parts, finishing with incredibly fast blastbeats of hate.

At the halfway point we are presented with Moloch, an impressive display of odd timings, multiple strings, and crushing riffs. At first listen, one could mistake the introduction to Moloch as simple, uninspired and generic, and while it isn’t mind blowing, within a minute of that thought appearing, the listener is put in their place and proven wrong ten-fold. The technicality and talent of the musicians is astounding, subverting the listeners initial expectations and climbing to unexpected heights. Revenge Overture, as the name says, is an overture, comprising solely of traditional instruments, in a standard time measure, but in a low key. The effect this has on the listener is quite powerful, as it invokes emotions and feelings of horror, impending doom, and frantic panic, despite it being of a slow pace. The implementation of the instruments, and the way the track is presented begs the question; just how horrific and foreboding can classical instruments be, and why isn’t there more of this?

Anfang Extinction holds nothing back, starting with the genre-classic progressive riff, hitting many notes across the neck at immense speed. The handiwork of Nath Harris, Eric Revill and Andrew Workman is beyond words. Not only are the guitarists impressive, the speed, aggression and pure unadulterated power from Ed Gorrod’s drums is unparalleled almost anywhere else on the record. Without shadow of a doubt, Anfang Extinction is the strongest track on the EP. At every turn TAKEN BY THE TIDE have outdone themselves, and we hope to hear some more of this style on their future releases.

Brutality, guttural vocals, and blast beats. Now I Am Become Death brings the harshest and heaviest elements of death metal and the core genres, mashes them together into one cacophony of oppressing noise, and drizzles a light dressing of progressive metal to top off. On a technical front, this is the weakest, but one of the things the group have done is slowly ease away and evolve their sound both through the years and with this release. Those that expect djent and prog at every corner will be disappointed, but fans that are looking for something new, with a little more flavour and variety, will find just that on this record.

Revenge is an impressive release by TAKEN BY THE TIDE, evolving and pushing the boundaries of their own sound and style, taking the path least travelled to discover something new. From The Organs Are Mine, to Anfang Extinction, not a single track is unwelcome or without merit. Even Revenge Overture that, while not a “song” in the traditional sense, still evokes an emotional response and a connection with the listener, something that all musicians strive to achieve in one way or another. If you are looking for progressive/hardcore metal with multiple musical stylings integrated into it, Revenge is a must buy.

Rating: 9/10

Revenge is set for release on August 3rd via self-release.

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