Earthbound - Desolate EP

Labels: Self-Released

Formats: Digital

Release Date: 11 Oct 2019

Tracklist:

1. Of Suffering

2. Solitude

3. Worlds Apart

4. Remnants

I've been looking forward to doing this all day. The day job is hard, especially mentally, so it's nice to be able to let go. Earthbound only recently came onto my radar and "Desolate" is the Southern  England quintet's second EP in two years. They're more experienced than you might think for a band with just two EPs to their name, having played at Bloodstock Festival last year, as well as supporting Doyle (of Misfits fame) that same too. Live shows are a big part of any band's life and Earthbound have certainly done their fair share so far. 

Proper riffs and a full-on metal attack is what you get from Earthbound. They have influences that cover the likes of Soilwork and Trivium and actually they’re not too far off when you hear opener Of Suffering. The melodic choruses are great and it all manages to sound British, as opposed to overly American. Earthbound weaves really heartfelt and beautiful tones into Solitude, especially thanks to the orchestral elements and clean singing, It will be a departure from their opener for some but that’s okay. They do inject it with some heaviness during the latter half but it fits the overall song really well and doesn’t take away from what they’re trying to convey. 

Their use of other musical elements within these songs adds an extra edge to the EP and Worlds Apart sees them going in a direction that’s akin to the likes of Amon Amarth and Dark Tranquillity, albeit subtly. There’s a Norse tone to the music and the melody once again adds to that. The twin-guitars are so lush on here, it’s hard not to be moved by them. EP closer Remnants rages with full-throttle death and thrash. Old school in a good way and something that’s been missing from the UK underground metal scene for a while I think. This one and Worlds Apart are lengthier tracks and the momentum they create is exactly what is needed on a short EP like this.

Earthbound are brilliant. They’re more deeply rooted in heavy metal as opposed to hardcore or progressive metal, so their sound is simpler and more direct. They perform really strongly on “Desolate”, so much so that a full-length album can’t be far off for them. They certainly sound assured enough to make the next step and you better be there when they do. 

You could stream "Desolate" via Spotify though correct if I'm wrong, but the band will get more money if you purchase a digital copy from their Bandcamp page, which you can do below:-

Earthbound - https://www.facebook.com/EarthboundMusicUK/