Vinyl Review



Vinyl Review: Anion – Fractions of Failure EP


Today's cut is another seven inch EP of Canadian heavy metal. Anion hails from Vancouver, BC and is a quartet playing their own brand of down-tempo metallic hardcore. These guys have a cool sound utilizing the ethos and feel of hardcore blended with the sound and style of sludgy doomy metal. They're not the first to blend sludge with hardcore, but I think they do it well if not a bit straightforwardly.

None of the four songs ever get to breakneck speeds, giving the songs a feeling of being heavy without being overly aggressive, while never losing sight of their hardcore influences. The the second song is the most intense on the album and has almost grindcore like sensibilities tempered by the patience of sludge and doom. This hardcore mindset is seen again in the structure of the songs with nary a solo to be seen, and not much in the way of breakdowns to speak of either, the songs trudge ever onward crushing all in their path.

While much of each song is comprised of really cool crunchy guitars, plodding rhythms, and chugging, chunky riffs, a few of the songs expand a bit with some longer swooping guitar parts over heavy rhythm sections, including a very long one near the end of the third song, these sound cool and add some space into the compositions. This slight variety sounds good and gets worked in well with the repetitious, almost hypnotic like, rhythms and riffs the songs are built from. Over top of all of this are these really cool vocals, a solid hardcore shout with some awesomely sludgy grime slathered all over it.

The instruments sound good on this recording too, mostly clearly audible and the playing is good. The bass has a really cool tone to it, just the right kind of lo-fi, and has some cool stand out parts, but it can get lost behind the guitar when they are playing the same riff. The guitar is fuzzy and sounds fine here, especially during the passages of long notes over heavy rhythm sections mentioned previously. The drums are solid, keeping a steady heavy pounding rhythm, nothing too flashy or blasty, and never gets into grind territory.

I dig this EP and still give it a listen once in a while. Their sludgy hardcore sound is not unique but they wear it well. I think the songs are solid and well performed, this record shows some great promise and potential for evolution, I look forward to future material from this band to see where they go.

Recommended for

Integrity fans
If you like hardcore or metalcore
Canadian metal heads

The Vinyl

Size: 7"
Speed: 45 rpm
Colour: solid black and grey marbled
Weight: medium-heavy
Labels: No List Records
Limited Edition to 200 copies in this colour
Good sound quality


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