Novel of Sin
I can recall a time a few years back when I didn't automatically abhor anything with the term metalcore attached to it; I had just discovered death metal via bands like Nile and Behemoth, and keeping up with various tours, I stumbled across act after act promising to be the best in melding the intense blue-collar ethics of hardcore with the technical brutality of true heavy metal. The whole thing was pretty fresh at the time, and acts like Unearth, As I Lay Dying, and Killswitch Engage were all releasing (future) classics of the genre, each developing semi-unique styles within the same basic parameters. The end result was a genre ripe for mass profit; fans of several different genres suddenly had crossover acts to entice them, with clearly defined stylistic quirks (chugging riffs, tough-guy vocals, and the ever-present breakdown for example) and emerging leaders to set the bar ever higher. Out of this sudden turn of events acts like A Life Once Lost, Lamb of God, and Shadows Fall suddenly began receiving their dues, and the metalcore scene exploded into a massive, schizophrenic frenzy of economic potential. Fast-forwarding three years or so later, metalcore has become an insane global phenomenon no heavy music fan can deny. Pervasive, clichιd, and boring, the metalcore scene has definitely outlived its welcome to a fair number of loud critics, only to see their words swallowed whole by the next wave of rushed major-label releases. Not exactly the best environment for excitement or innovation, the metalcore scene is a stagnant swamp many wish they could simply avoid, but like it or love it the entire metalcore scene seems here to stay.
Thank God then for Novel of Sin. I might be jumping the gun on this as it is ONLY a four-song EP, but this Italian outfit attacks with an intensity and fury that makes me relive the early advent of the genre as a popular conception. This does not mean that Novel of Sin reinvent metalcore and make it fresh again---far from it. However, this tiny EP, as short and riddled with traditional metalcore hallmarks as it is, utilizes the puzzle-pieces of your average metalcore band and fits them into a solid, ass-kicking whole. In much the same way that the catchy brutality of stateside acts like Unearth, As I Lay Dying, and Killswitch Engage inspired fiercer takes by European acts like Heaven Shall Burn, Caliban, and Maroon, Novel of Sin have taken a well-trod sonic template and upped the violence, making it seem almost fresh again.
The reasons for these are apparent in the tiny but simple things these guys make their own whereas other young, shoved-to-the-forefront bands have yet to learn. These are the things one simply cannot learn---passion, integrity, dynamics, and legitimacy. As mentioned earlier, this EP will not be kickstarting any new musical movements anytime soon; the catch is that a person simply couldn't imagine Novel of Sin playing anything besides tough-guy metalcore. All four songs sound exactly that natural coming from the band, to the point where it seems exciting simply because they themselves take such obvious joy in playing this style of music.
Once the rambling Italian intro of "Last Desire" dies down, listeners will quickly see what I mean. "Last Desire" delivers a windmill kick to the temple with its steady, stomping pulse of aggressive lunacy; the riffs are huge and brawny, the kind of punches that Throwdown used to throw before their unvaried routine got fairly stale. To keep this from happening, the guys in Novel of Sin inject tasteful undercurrents of melody into the mix, the pummeling anarchy sounding like a primitive Unearth prior to the opening of a whirling circle-pit. The band's varied vocals (ranging from bitter howls to caustic shrieks to gangland-chants) work wonders as well, effectively yanking the oldschool hardcore sound into a modern, extreme setting. An environment such as this is the only thing that could have spawned the 21st century killing machine that is "Unloved Letter." "Unloved" opens with an absolutely ripping yowl courtesy of talented larynx-shredder Davide, and the song next careens off into a worthy tribute to Caliban, a mix of ferocious melody with unfettered massacre. I would especially like to highlight the obvious but STILL BRUTAL chorus, something that most metalcore nowadays seems to think of as impossibility. "Shades" kicks off as a mid-tempo beatdown, all before effectively showcasing melodic chops worthy of recent As I Lay Dying and equally poignant, chugging sing-alongs to boot. Closing cut "Weak Light" is a buzzing moshpit anthem bound to get bodies flailing and heads banging in equal measure; the song hits with a thrashing melodicism that only Unearth has really matched round these parts, if you're asking me anyways (and let's face it, by reading this, you kinda are). Ending things on the kind of pulverizing, manic note that any good disc of this nature should be ended on, "Weak Light" is a swinging haymaker to knock out the eardrums and leave listeners pleasantly deaf.
Bringing back a drive for honest catharsis most of their peers seem to be lacking, Novel of Sin seem to have plenty of promise and will easily stick out from the rest of the Xerox-metalcore bands. Their brutal but melodic take on the style may not be anything new (Hell, At the Gates could collect royalties on these puppies too) but at the end of the day there's no mistaking a honest love of music, channeled in whatever form it need take. If there is any justice in the world, Metal Blade Records will kick off a bunch of the generic crap they've been peddling for quick cash the last year or so and sign these guys----that's how far the integrity on display here seems able to take these blokes. The sky is truly the limit and only time will tell if metalcore has room for one last big star; if you're asking me, Novel of Sin are the ones who deserve it.
Novel of Sin's Novel of Sin EP
1. Last Desire
2. Unloved Letter
3. Shades
4. Weak Light
Rating:
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