Coldwards Come Back With A Huge and Driving EP

Coldwards returns with a massive EP that is possibly one of their most driving and impactful ones yet. The record blurs the lines between electronic rock, power rock, vast and hard-hitting alternative, and, as usual, blends in a slew of emotional backbone to help push this thing through the roof.

The Bad News EP kicks off with its title track, and at the beginning, you get a lot of electronic synth sound. This helps the momentum start really building up, and guitars come in at a perfect time along with live drums, and all of this starts going with that synthesizer underneath it.

This is what I mean by building a spacious and almost atmospheric kind of vibe in their songs. That synth is kind of fun and a little edgy, but it also has that vastness in it.

So, right off the bat, you're getting that spaciousness at the beginning of the song while the band starts rocking over it.

The time signatures are awesome, especially at those verses which kind of strip down a bit, becoming clean so that you can pay more attention to the vocals and the lyrics.

Things are very ambient and cinematic until that chorus kicks in, and then it just becomes massively explosive.

This is one of the more bouncy, jumping choruses of the record, and it's an outstanding way to open the door for the rest of the release.

"Flatline" is the track that follows, and this one is a bit more widespread and brings out an impactful and emotional drive. When you pay attention to the lyrics, they feel very personal, and this is nothing new for the band, as they tend to deliver a lot of character in their songs.

This is one of the more emotionally pushed songs on record and still comes through with a very heavy edge, that closed-fisted alternative rock soundscape that's based on both drive and melody simultaneously, and the vocals are boisterous and melodically thriving, performing harmonies half the time, and all have a heart.

One of the things I love about this track is that I get super heavy, the riffs and guitars become trudging and definitely lean into a heavier metal sound, along with the vocals that follow suit.

Even when the vocalist is sort of screaming, he's still melodic with it, so it really gives you the feel of something that has depth and authenticity to it while being unafraid to give you the aggression that's needed during those segments.

The next track, "Matter", has super deep, almost drop B or drop C guitar tuning, which really gives it half. It comes in with a great vocal hook, and I think that was very smart, and it's probably a very radio-friendly track while still giving you that heavy hand in terms of deep guitar riffs and tone.

I love how they can blend that deepness and that heaviness and still have something very catchy at the same time.

I also did how they come right in with a chorus or hook when they want to, so you get pulled right into the track immediately.

The drumming on this track is explosive. There are segments of the song that get ultra-heavy, and the drummer is just smashing everything.

It's in these moments that really feel like the band is pushing off of what the drummer is delivering energy-wise. And I think that's the way it should be.

This brings us to "Dead Weight", which again gives you a story. It's a personal perspective and a story told that you can really unfold in your head as the song plays through.

I love that aspect of these guys, too. The way they write their songs lets you follow stories and personal thoughts very easily.

This track felt very grungy to me. The depth and happiness are all there, but it's less metal and more grunge. All the melodic approach and chord progressions feel almost bright while still giving that edgy tonality and aesthetic.

This might be my favorite track on the record, actually. I love the vocal Melodies over the guitars. They are almost all catchy the entire time. Just excellent melodic approach vocally.

These are also the kinds of things that stick with you after songs end.

The most experimental and impressive track is the closing one called "From The Inside", which gives you a great set of lyrics to attach yourself to, along with digital-feeling beats, and more keys that bring you back to the semi-electronic undertone that some of the songs display.

There's something about the vocal approach that has the aggressive screaming but melodic feel, the keys, and the beat that makes me think of bands like Linkin Park, for example.

Of course, these guys go into their big and explosive heavier sections as well; this is a staple of how they do their thing, but this one is laid out a little differently and has a different set of textures to it if you ask me.

This is definitely a record you listen to all the way through.

It's a set of absolute bangers that showcase the different styles of how the band writes songs, all in one EP.

Absolutely, check this out right now and remember where you heard it first.

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