EP REVIEW: Showmetherealyou (re-issue) – Moodring

Melancholia is a powerful thing. It may push some toward dramatics more at home in a theatre class than reality but there are exceptions to the rule. Floridian four-piece MOODRING prove themselves to be an exception with the reissue of their EP Showmetherealyou, releasing today. With their intoxicating blend of ethereal shoegaze and muddy grunge, the quartet have chosen a stunning celebration of their recent signing to UNFD.

The title track oozes gloom. Sean Dolich’s guitars trickle through like drops of treacle until they unite with the rest of the band to trap us in their misery. Bass dominated transitions coupled with booming drums from Kalan Blehm and Lindy Harter respectively have us neck deep in desolation.

Citing sadness as a bonding tool, vocalist Hunter Young’s lyrics hit hard in their rumination. The mix of brighter alt-rock vocals with borderline growls throughout the EP showcases duality. This doesn’t speak for the vocal delivery alone. Stuck in the space between sleep and waking, Come And Go’s apathetic delivery feels hazy. Angst driven lyrics masquerade as streams of a tired conscience. While Now I’m Lost drags the lethargy further. Apathy fuels a mind circling the drain along with dense riffs of destruction. The feeling of teetering on the edge teases us through Now I’m Lost but peters out for a more mainstream chorus. This is by no means a bad thing as infectious licks and vocal hooks immerse us further in our united misery.

Prozac is an education in the idea that huge riffs and slogging drums don’t always make for a heavy song. The sonic equivalent of being ‘zombified’ by the antidepressant, the song relies on lyrical heaviness. “I never did well/With knowing up from down” speaks to the discombobulation mental health sinks a mind into when overwhelmed. Elements of shoegaze work wonders on dulling the edge of an otherwise crunchy riff. With no powerful auditory moment, MOODRING captures the numbness felt during those first few medication addled weeks.

For a band dealing with teenage angst, it would be easy to write MOODRING off. Would a group of teenagers be savvy to toxicity? The slower opening to Young Love plays into the assumption until aggression rings through. Brooding about “perfect psychosis” sucks the life from us to the tune of grunge-inspired reverberation. Dolich’s guitar takes us into a fluffy chorus, highlighting the peak of a relationship. As fast as those good times roll around, the rug is pulled from under us, dumping us back into the torrent of demons.

The six base tracks of this EP would have been more than enough for this reissue. Yet, bonus single Empty Me Out earns its place among its brethren from the outset. Inspired by Full Metal Alchemists’ Gluttony, everything about the single reads much heavier. A true shock to the system. “I’ve had my fill of you” festers in outward aggression. Set against stylish electronic beats, vocals reminiscent of a cyborg blast Gluttony‘s cannibalistic nature. The insatiable hunger of this sin breeds a mix of heavy grunge and metalcore we’d happily gorge on.

If you’re on the lookout for a stereotypically heavy listen, these seven tracks may not be for you. For those willing to expand their horizons beyond brain quaking riffs, Showmetherealyou is a 23-minute emotional roller-coaster through melancholia and indulgence. Through the seven tracks, it’s clear MOODRING are an outfit which prides themselves on their genre-fluidity yet are able to remain faithful to their core sound.

Rating: 8/10

Showmetherealyou is out now via UNFD.

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