Portsmouth Metalcore quintet Networks are scheduled to release ‘Enough To Save Us’ on the 27th of this month and I had a listen to it and I gave my thoughts on this refreshing release.
Metalcore…oh, Metalcore. This genre divides opinion frequently; mainly due to the more mainstream-driven side of it gaining a bad reputation amongst ‘metal’ heads. However, at the core of the genre, there is very much still some diamonds in the rough.
Networks who hail from Portsmouth have returned this tainted genre to its demanding, engaging and damn-right kick ass heights. ‘Enough To Save Us ‘ isn’t reinventing the wheel by any stretch of the imagination but its certainly got the wheel running smoothly again. There are no pop-driven choruses, cringe-worthy riffs nor is there anything you’d expect from this genre if you only listen to mainstream Metalcore.
Vocalist, Sean Kelly actually learned a new vocal technique for this EP and it is used to great effect throughout, aiding the EP’s heavy aesthetic but maintaining enough melody for it to be memorable. ‘Darker Truth’ being a truly fantastic example of just how Metalcore should sound. The riffs are infectiously brutal and the vocals are nothing short of outstanding. Lyrically the whole EP is terrifically written from start to finish; detailing personal struggles including growing up, relationship struggles and everything in between. ‘End Of An Era’ is the standout track on this EP for me, delivering a reflective tone upon your life in a truly encapsulating manner.
The release features a lot of Djent influences in terms of its breakdowns and this is something the Portsmouth quintet execute elegantly. In many ways I had written off Metalcore, why? Because, it had become stale and in many ways overworked. But, Networks have proven that Metalcore is very much as engaging as it always was by stripping it back to its roots and making an EP that is instrumentally and lyrically nothing short of fantastic.