I've been focusing a bit more on homegrown bands recently. I like to try and strike a balance between featuring them and featuring bands from abroad. The latest band to catch my attention is Southern UK progressive metallers Faces of Eve. The Story So Far is their debut EP and is due for digital release on June 29th. They're already selling CD copies to promote it as well. Faces Of Eve formed back in October 2013, from the ashes of a few local bands. They've toured the UK recently with Oaths (whom I featured here not so long ago) and seem to have the right people behind them.
There’s a bit of pattern forming in the UK at the moment. The scene (depending on your definition of it) is being filled with more and more bands that seem to be getting big pushes. A lot of melodic hardcore and metal band mainly, which appeal to a wider and younger audience. There’s nothing wrong with that because it funnels listeners towards heavier bands, even those that are more DIY orientated. I don’t blame bands like Faces Of Eve for moving in that direction at all though. Certainly their music does all the talking for them. EP opener For My Fallen Heroes is wonderfully melodic before some crunching, djent-like riffs enter the fray towards the end. The unnecessary gap between it and Feed spoils the EP's momentum a bit, but when Feed does finally kick in it reminds of early Exit Ten (and I really liked that band). On The Story So Far you’re getting a slickly produced EP, with samples and solid instrumentation that does offer something different. With the rise of bands like Mallory Know in recent years, Faces Of Eve are well placed to make a big impression and on Crime Of Passion, it’s easy to see why. Benjamin Fordham-Black forego’s the usual Americanisms that creep into modern vocalists repertoires, while the instrumentation that backs him up is off-kilter but also honest;y simple. Temporal Rotunda features a surprising layer of ambience and noise that highlights the band’s progressive nature a bit more. They borrow more from metal’s arsenal here and the song is more hard hitting because of it. Faces Of Eve are clearly very good at what they do and have found a sound that seems solid. The momentum from Temporal Rotunda continues on into One Man Show. While there’s plenty of riffs used in the song, it doesn’t descend into a breakdown-fest and features some great improv-jazz flourishes, similar to Incubus at times. Dwellers is a great song to end as well. It highlights this band’s quality perfectly I think. Faces Of Eve aren’t trying to hard to be something they’re not. They’ve produced something that has real appeal and that will gain them a big foothold on the UK scene when it’s officially released next month. This surprised me a lot! The Story So Far is not yet online (for obvious reasons) but you can check out videos for both One Man Show and Dwellers on Youtube:-
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