An Anthemic EP Release from Coldwards
- BuzzSlayers
- 23 hours ago
- 4 min read
The latest from Coldwards comes forth with a pretty heavy-handed approach, but as always, heavily melodic as well. The record showcases the band's different sides to how they write their songs and how they're able to read this edgy tonality, while still being true to the storytelling aspect lyrically, and branching out in different directions musically.
"Last of Me" is the first track on the record, and it does a great job of reducing and opening the door to the rest of it. It's got a great riff that's kind of heavy, a bit trudging, but that progression is super addictive, and you start to get a feel for that storytelling right off the bat.
What they do here is focus on a riff that you can follow along with. It's heavy and has a power behind it, and they let the vocals ride it out with anthemic power.
As the song unfolds, the vocals get bigger and bigger, more layers, more harmonies, and it becomes more of a fists-in-the-air sort of Powerhouse style track.
It's definitely pretty intense for it when it wants to be, and you start to get a feel and understanding for the soundscape that some of the rest of the record will deliver.
Having said all that, once again, there are no two songs that are really super alike on this record. You have these different approaches throughout its course, and it's like a surprise every time.
Even though the songs are a little diverse, you can still hear consistent elements throughout. The guitar tone, the way the drums are performed, which, by the way, is immense.
The drummer does an outstanding job of just pushing this record forward and giving it a heavy-handed energy that I feel like the rest of the band sort of feeds off of.
"The Fire Inside" has a totally different feel. The drums are a key element in this track, along with that bass guitar. The bass guitar tone and riff are everything and they are totally in sync with the kick drum throughout the song, so you have this super tightness even though the song is so full-bodied and big.
You come back in with a bit more heaviness and some powerful guitar work and riffs during the choruses, which just hit like smack in the face. I mean in a good way, of course.
These guys always hit you with those big, boisterous choruses. The kind of choruses that believe their mark, shake the ground beneath your feet, they're heavy and sonically massive, but they are also very melodically driving.
Through all that heavy instrumentation, it's that melody that gets stuck in your head.
"Sunflower" delivers that vaster, more expansive kind of sound that feels kind of freeing, and delivers a lot of emotional push.
These are the kinds of songs that make you realize that a lot of the stuff comes from authentic places, especially in terms of the lyrics.
The lyrics tell stories a lot of the time. They're easy to follow along with, and a lot of them come from personal spaces, but the music really sets the mood and intensity for those lyrics as well. The two go hand in hand, and that's a big reason why these songs work amazingly.
"Antidote" is probably my favorite track on this release, mostly because they're able to take these different styles and blend them all into one song.
It's got an amazing rhythm and set of lyrical phrasing in terms of those lyrics and how they're delivered. The verses are done outstandingly, and the way the song builds towards those bigger parts is brilliant.
The time signature coming from the drums is just ridiculous here. It's so cool to follow along with, and it lets the song come through with a different vibe than if it were just a standard drum beat.
I'm telling you, the drummer of this band is just such a powerhouse because he's always doing these inventive elements that push the envelope a bit.
This brings us to the final and title track of the record, "The Final Bow", which definitely has a lot going on in terms of that emotion. This is a cinematically thick and emotionally robust song that's sort of grungy in a sense. It's heavy but it's not metal.
It's got a heavy guitar tone, but it keeps two chords and progressions rather than metal-style riffs.
Don't get me wrong, even on the heavier tracks that are more metal and alternative rock focused, the guitar work is always leaning towards melody. The riffs are usually really amazing, but it's the melodies that they're doing along with the rhythm of the wrist that really keep you there.
This track closes out the record with that big emotion, and it's kind of got a bit of a power ballad undertone to it.
You get pulled in by those descriptive lyrics and how the song sort of breaths during those verses, so that you can pay more attention to them, which is outstanding.
This is one of the best EPs the band has dropped so far, in my opinion.
You should definitely see for yourself, though.
Don't skip songs and remember where you heard it first.
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