Album Review :
Relent - Heart Attack

Sometime last year, Brandon was kind enough to introduce me to a band named Relent. At the time, the band only had a 2 song ep available called “Embers”, but it was more than enough to pique my interest. What we have in these guys is a what I’m going to call a new nu metal sound. Normally, when I’m putting together a review, I like to make comparisons to other bands to help give an idea of what to expect sound-wise, but here that’s a little difficult. I mean, sure, there’s elements present that are reminiscent of a number of bands who may have influenced the guys, but their sound is distinctive and unique enough in its own right to escape any singular obvious comparison. At times, I’ll hear something that reminds me of Korn or P.O.D. or Limp Bizkit or Staind or Sevendust…but it often takes the familiar sounds of the nu metal I love and combines it with a modern feel.

Up til now, there have been 3 songs off the ep that you can check out (and find at any digital retailer); “Rise”, “Surrendered”, and “Changed”. Each of these are great tracks and give you just a taste of what you can expect from the “Heart Attack” ep. Make sure you check them out if you haven’t already.

I’m not going to go into a track by track breakdown here, but instead, let me tell you what you can expect. First of all, don’t expect this ep to give you much in the way of rest. It’s a heavy, hard hitter from start to finish and man, is that a good thing. Expect tuned down, hard hitting, crushing guitar riffs. Some are reminiscent of your classic nu metal sound, while some maintain that same feel, but are a bit more modern, as I mentioned earlier. Expect well-orchestrated, pounding bass and drums that set and emphasize the groove of each song just right and even a very well-placed bass drop or two. The vocals vary based on the part of the song and range from clean, to screams, to rap, and all are done really well. I especially enjoy the moments Miggy drops some rap and hope to see that used as much or maybe even more in the future. Lyrically, the songs are all very Christ-centered and honor Him, some even worshipful (yes, I just made that word up). In terms of production, I’m a tough guy to please, but this is a perfect fit for me; not too raw, not too polished, but just right.

I’ve been a huge fan of all things nu metal since the mid 90’s. Without a doubt, the genre has faded into the background a bit; some bands are no longer together, others have mellowed to the point the description “nu metal” no longer really fits anymore, but it is still out there if you’re looking for it. But to find a new band playing that style and playing it this well is just a real treat. “Heart Attack” by Relent is an ep that’s thoroughly impressive from start to finish and a debut that will surely be received with positive reviews amongst listeners and critics alike. When the ep drops on Friday, make sure you pick it up, you’ll be glad you did.