The Survival Code - Broken Strings EP (IRL)

London’s The Survival Code straddle the fine, and some would say, oft indistinguishable line between alt rock and punk, much in line with some of their influences like Deftones and Queens of the Stone Age. As hinted at in the title, their new EP Broken Strings is a much more aggressive and raw affair than their previous album, 2015’s MMXV; stripping back the band to its core elements. Over the course of three brisk tracks, the vocals seem far more pained and anguished, and the very music seems terrifically heavy and weighed down by it’s own emotional intensity.

The short EP is a bit of teaser for another full length coming out early next year, but it works as a bold statement in itself; a conceptual and cohesive identity that stands on its own feet just as well. “One” and the lead single, “Broken Strings,” are pitch perfect showcases of technicality, bravado, and maudlin expression mixed into one volatile explosion. The final song, “Lost Cause,” is a fantastic slice of psuedo-sludge metal—it’s menacing force and weight threatening to bring the entire show down, and in a way, the EP does collapse, gasping for breath. Released through IRL, Broken Strings will be out November 14th.