Instrumental metal quite often gets the wrong rap for being a bit tedious and pretentious, seemingly a genre that is more about a band trying to show off how well they can play their instruments rather than create an atmosphere and a unique sound and hook. Brand new four-piece outfit, Crevassian set out to create a cathartic blend of atmosphere and groove with their debut, self-released, self-titled EP.

Straight from the get-go, you can tell they are a talented group of musicians by how seamless each part of the band flows together with intricate melodies, without making it seem a difficult feat. Elements of Animals as Leaders can be heard throughout the more progressive sections.

Rather than an EP constructed of four individual songs, each track flows into each other, more as a different section of a complete work. It would be impossible for each song on themselves to stand out individually, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. What Crevassian do well that so many other instrumental bands have done wrong in the past, is leaving their egos at the door. There is no single member of the outfit trying to outperform the others, nor any particular overachiever and Crevassian work as a finely tuned machine together as a whole.

This debut EP, while just over twenty minutes long, takes the listener on a journey from start to finish, seemingly impossible to get off the ride at any point along its course.

8 / 10

CHARLIE HILL