Gather & Mourn - EP

END & Cult Leader

I love the institution that is 'the hardcore split.' A collaboration between bands and labels alike that shows a mutual respect between parties, and further perpetuates the sense of strong community that hardcore is known for. The songs on these splits are typically some of the gnarlier cuts in a band's discography too as they can either be opportunities for crazy experiments or by nature of there being some friendly competition among bands. For these reasons, I always have time to check out a split, especially when both acts are new to me.

On one side we have END, an extreme metal supergroup featuring Brendan Murphy (Counterparts), 'go-to producer for all things heavy' Will Putney, and Dillinger Escape Plan drummer Billy Rymer. And yeah, the two songs the band delivers are overwhelming chaos. I've been shocked by the new Frontierer. I've been pummelled by the most recent Knocked Loose. Even with those experiences (among others) fresh on my mind, END still elicited a pretty visceral response in me. Brendan Murphy, who I always thought had a relatively inoffensive scream, really threw me for a loop with how primal his delivery was in this new context. I honestly never would have guessed that those super harsh, unhinged screams, and the guttural lows could ever be uttered by Murphy had no one told me. It perfectly compliments the band's music too given that they operate in much more extreme territories compared to Counterparts. Just listen to Eden Will Drown and will hear the band running through the gamut. Beatdown hardcore breaks, matchcore insanity, grindcore's agility, and deathcore's ferocity; all of it is represented on this three minute nuclear bomb of a track. The following song The Host Will Soon Decay is a little more patient with its industrial metal elements and slower pacing, but this track randomly busts into a passage that is absolutely imperceivable. A flurry of drums and disgusting guitar noises combine to give me one of the most revolting musical displays I've heard this year.

Cult Leader's side definitely didn't feel as chaotic or spontaneous and perhaps that's why I preferred END's two contributions more. However, I will say the band is equally visceral in its more traditional approach to grind and deathcore. Ataraxis is a brief burst of kinetic energy that was pretty decent, but I think I appreciated Long Shadows more for providing me with a brief moment of solace. At around the halfway mark, the guitar melody actually becomes quite uplifting. After being abused for over ten minutes, it was gracious of Cult Leader to provide an opportunity to release that festering tension. Overall, Gather & Mourn was a fairly decent EP. I don't see why any fan of extreme metal genres wouldn't be into this.