Top 15 EP's of 2014

 

.15.

Oh Tear the Veil

Oh Tear the Veil

 

progressive metalcore

This is a really good under the radar debut release from the 4 brothers of Oh Tear the Veil. Spirit-filled all the way, with solid versatile instrumentation.

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.14.

Chorder

Warmonger

 

djent

Grooves for days... I personally don't like the term 'djent', but they do it extremely well.

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.13.

Household

With Or Without

 

melodic hardcore/punk

This popular trend of emotional melodic hardcore is hit or miss. You're either really good or really bad, with me. Household is really good. They don't water down the Christian message to find acceptance, but mix the secular sound with profound lyricism perfectly. 

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.12.

Sleep Now

Cast Out

 

hardcore

For those of you who were fans of old Gideon. This should be your new favorite band. I personally love their sound. They have enough added melodic elements that perfectly blend together this style of in your face hardcore. They have been silent a while on Fb, but a great debut none the less.

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.11.

Hashem

Martyr

 

death metal

Leaving the core out of things, and being straight metal. Solid death metal act with a really powerful sound. Second year in a row on this list. I would really love for them to experiment more and take things to the next level.

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.10.

Mailman

Elder

 

metalcore

This is a band that everyone needs to know about. Elder went almost unknown in Christian music releases this year. I found them this summer and immediately featured them on the Summer Compilation. Huge potential for a small band that already has a popular sound.

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.9.

Endure

Nothing Is Our Own

 

melodic hardcore

This was Endure's final release before disbanding. Such a solid band, ended with such a solid release. Really good melodic hardcore on faith, love, and hope.

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.8.

With A Voice

Unending

 

post-hardcore

With A Voice sent us off with Unending, another band calling it quits with an EP release. Which is sad, but good, because this EP is superb. Raw, catchy, grown man post-hardcore, not for your average scene teen. So sad to see them go.

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.7.

How The West Was Won

Wild And Waste

 

metalcore/metal

This release came as a surprise to me, I was waiting for them to release new stuff and didn't hear about a release until after Wild and Waste came out. So I can imagine it did the same for a lot of people. Wild and Waste is really good, from a very consistently good band. 

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.6.

CrossFire

The Catalyst

 

progressive metalcore

This is a release you most likely have not heard. This band took an extremely large jump this year musically with this release, and created a really solid EP. It's close to my top 5 for a reason, it's good.

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.5.

Nomadic

Terminus

 

progressive death metal

Really diverse release. My cut off on length for releases was they had to be more than 2 songs. But this 2 song EP was just too good not to place.

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.4.

O'Kingdom

Empires

 

progressive metalcore

O'Kingdom is another band that seemed to go under the radar in the Christian circut and released an extremely catchy EP, without trading awesome musicianship in the process.

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.3.

All Have Sinned

Desecrate Their Graves

 

deathcore

Thee... heaviest and darkest EP release of 2014, hands down.

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.2.

The Valenzetti Equation

Trial of Eden

 

progressive deathcore/death metal

Another extremely diverse metal EP to release this year. It's heavy, technical, experimental in all the right ways.

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.1.

A Feast For Kings

Hell On Earth

 

progressive metalcore

Eric Gentry's legacy is forever implanted in our souls, his impact will be felt forever. Hell on Earth is a perfect release. AFFK worked extremely hard to release this EP, and they rightfully earned the best EP of this year. AFFK will continue on as the band XXI. Expect something huge.

Check out my Review of Hell On Earth here!

AFFK - Hell On Earth Album Review

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In honor of Eric Gentry. We love and miss you!

 

 

Honorable Mentions

Among Millennials - Idle Hands, Burdened Hearts - Lost In Myself, Consecrate - Holy, Holy, End Of Atlas - Immaturity, Essentials - Trials, Nazarene - Fade Away, Outstretch - Outstretch, Owls In The Attic - Old Souls, Young Hearts, Reveal Renew - Phrases For The Living, Revivalist - Brother, Wait Here - Empty Reflection

 

 

Other Notable Releases

Achaia - King, Anchor To My Soul - Demo, Armory Infirmary - Rest, Atrocities - Set Free, The Beckoning - Desolate, Between Now And Then - Collections, Beyond Vision - Fire Is Coming, BoughXBlood - Restoration, Captain Roselyn - Heartmatter, City of Auburn - Soul Searcher, Deadweight - No Place Like Home, Despite My Pride - Cold Blood/Simple Math, Elizabeth Crim - My Suicide, Embers Of Earth - Release the River, Emya - Viera II, ternal Covenant - The Storm, Eyes of Eli - Ignite, Heart of A Servant - Heart of A Servant, Hollow Vessels - Rumination, I Am Eternity - Restructure, In This World - Maiden Voyage, Lambs Like Lions - Lambs Like Lions, Me and the Trinity - Crux, Judgment Day x Strength - Split EP, Messengers - Deux Chansons, Nazarene - Heart and Mind, New Heart - Demo MMXIV, Parallax Withering - Disintegration, Poured Out - Inner Poverty, Reasons - Coffin, Remnants of Rome - Open-Hearted, Righteous Vendetta - Defiance, Servants x Endeavor - Split EP, A Sight To See - The Arrival, Soundcult - Mindset, Stop, Drop, & Burn - Face Down, Subtle City - Life After Death, Timoratus - Black, Timoratus - Death, Torn - Demo 2014, Vitriolic - The Road To Damascus, What We Do In Secret - The Migration, Whose Hearts Were His - Whose Hearts Were His, Windvent - Truth, Your Hands Write History - The Pentateuch  

 

 

This year was a deep field full of talented EP releases! I want to thank all the bands for their hard work for the kingdom! If your band (or a band you know ) did not appear, be sure to contact God's Love For Hardcore throughout the year with your future releases to secure a submission for the annual Top 15 lists.

Silence The Ocean

Broken Vessels

Album Review

metalcore/post-hardcore

release date: November 15, 2014

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   Silence The Ocean is a hard working modern metalcore/post-hardcore band from Ohio. Broken Vessels is their debut full length album following up their 2013 EP, Changes. With a goal to spread God's love to everyone, they come rare in this day and age among metalcore and post-hardcore bands, while bands lean more towards an open positive world message.

   Broken Vessels is a solid release in the midst of a crowded lineup of 2014 releases. Their style has very reminiscent influences of the genre that made this style of music popular: dirty and clean vocals, fun riffs, chuggy breakdowns, clean guitar and bass work, and crisp, precise drumming. And they get right into it with the opening titled track, Broken Vessels. This is an intro track, and as with all good intro tracks, it entices and builds up excitement and curiosity as to what follows. Keys play over atmospheric background music to begin, the instruments kick in continuing the build up, and before you know it, Conner shreds the microphone with screams of "We are broken vessels!" "Make us whole again!" Build up music is still playing a few seconds after Conner's barrage, and then immediately kicks in gear to Dethrone. Personally I feel this song could have been so much more intense, following a heavy intro. It starts off heavy, fast guitars, diverse, and layered screams. Ultimately I think it would have been a more powerful song without the cleans to start off the album, or placed in the middle of the record.

   Endless is the third track, and is a notable point on Broken Vessels. It has a beautiful intro, bringing backs memories of old We Came As Romans. Leroy Hamp of War of Ages is featured and appears around midway through the track. The song lyrically talks about how time is ever moving, you can not control it, and every day is a new beginning. Fragile is the fourth song, and it continues on a high note following Endless. Structures follows, and it is probably my personal favorite on the album. It has everything I enjoy in a modern metalcore/post-hardcore album; good use of cleans, enjoyable riffs, a beat to go along with, and a good heavy breakdown or two. The Wolf is the sixth track and is made up of all the familiar elements the album has showed thus far, keeping the albums pace.

   Unconditional Love follows up The Wolf. It is strictly a ballad with all clean vocals that is presented with a pop rock feel. Lyrically, as well as the style switch up, the song comes of more as a worship song to God exalting His love for us even though we continually stumble. Personally I am a stickler with bands who have single songs that delve off direction of the rest of the album, and tho i feel it could have been more passionate, the song is a refresher, and a reminder of our brokenness and His ever forgiving love for us. As the song concludes, it immediately picks back up with a very solid song in My Disgrace. Frayed Paths is track nine. This song gives me the vibe it would be a really good live show song, with it's darker feel and mosh friendly breakdowns. Born Machines ends the album in good fashion, fading the album out with beautiful melodies.

   Overall Silence The Ocean has the sound as well as the work ethic to really reach people and grow as a band. Broken Vessels has a lot of enjoyable moments. Musically it is filled with beautiful melodies, and it also hits hard. The bass is really enjoyable, crisp, and clear resembling the likes of old Fit For A King, Gideon, and more recently the band Convictions. Most bands the bass goes unnoticed, blending with the guitars, but its presence is felt in Broken Vessels. I do feel the clean vocals could have been utilized differently throughout the album. At times they seemed to miss the emotional mark of the feel of the song at times. But none the less, where the band lacks, their strong suits make up for it. The band has goals they are striving for this year, with possibilities of getting signed and going on tour. Broken Vessels is a good stepping stone in the right direction for them. They are always busy creating new music, and with such passion for God, expect nothing but great things from the boys in Silence The Ocean! 

A - [B+]- C - D - F 

  

Emya

Viera II

indie/post rock/melodic hardcore

release date: November 24, 2014

 

1. Acacia

2. El Ultimo Enemigo que Sera Destruido es la Muerte

3. Hueles Mi Garganta

4. Ellos Trajeron la Lluvia

5. Endecha

 

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(Argentina)