End began its existence as a passion project by producer/engineer Will Putney in 2016 and draws on influences across the extreme metal sub-genres. The band consists of current and former members of some well-known acts: Counterparts, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Fit For An Autopsy, Misery Signals, Shai Hulud, and Reign Supreme. With such a strong line-up, it’s not surprising that they have cultivated a fierce sound.
The album “Splinters From An Ever-Changing Face” by END takes no prisoners. Covet Not dives straight into unadulterated heaviness, aggressive vocals and haunting dissonance. Ludicrous energy levels erupt from the start before morphing through a range of different rhythms. It gives the track a powerful feel alternating between slower breakdown sections and complete utter chaos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7UwuFR–6IThe intensity of their sound doesn’t let up throughout the album. Flowing seamlessly into Pariah, the delicious guitar tone creates a wall of sound. The bass and percussion hold their own in the lower tones, combining to produce a dramatic sound. The gut-wrenching vocals remain strong throughout, the pre-breakdown line is particularly fantastic. Pariah has the perfect outro breakdown for those who love to head-bang.
Absence brings in the really dark side of their sound; it’s great to see the range of styles being explored in each track. It’s also at this point in the album that haunting vocal recordings begin to appear. Snippets of doctor’s conversations manifest throughout giving the album an extra eerie element. It introduces a theatrical dimension to the release.
Captive To My Curse raises the energy levels even higher with its intensity. Fast guitar melodies running through the heavy instrumentation give a sense of momentum to the track, along with the fast percussion. When the half-speed drops, it really drops by creating such a distinctive contrast. This track is a great example of how tempo changes can be used to enhance the mood of the music. Captive To My Curse doesn’t lose power at the change, it just transitions into another form. Evening Arms sees the dissonance running throughout; a haunting constant among the chaotic instrumentation. Leading into another vocal recording, accompanied with dark synths, the overall effect of this is incredibly powerful. Every Empty Vein – at less than two minutes in length throws a wall of sound at you. It’s interesting to see that as the album progresses, the track lengths begin to shorten, gaining intensity. It works really well with the overall atmosphere of the album as the dark ideas become more and more prevalent. Sands of Sleep concludes the album. Bringing together the core aspects of their sound, along with a few twists – a serene clean vocal section for one!
This is a stupendously brilliant album. If you like it heavy this will most definitely appeal. It’s clear that the members’ influences and experiences in the heavier metal realms combine fantastically to create something very distinctive. And did I mention that this is their debut album? End have gained a reputation for their sound and it’s clear they’re going to go far.
“Splinters From An Ever-Changing Face” by END track listing:
- Covet Not
- Pariah
- Absence
- The Reach Of Resurrection
- Fear For Me Now
- Hesitation Wounds
- Captive To My Curse
- Evening Arms
- An Apparition
- Every Empty Vain
- Sands Of Sleep
Fans can find END at the following locations:
www.instagram.com/yourfuckingend
