South Wales is known for its melodic rock, so the scene can be a little repetitive at times (not that I can really comment on this, since most of my black metal bands all come from Norway!) but a band that’s currently breaking the mould is Cardiff quartet Giving In To Ghosts and their debut EP Chasing Waves is a nice bit of fresh air.
The first thing that hits you about this EP is the brutally crushing vocals juxtaposed with almost sickly sweet vocals, and it has quite a Dead By April vibe to it, which is certainly not a bad thing. The vocals on opener Rapture really makes an impression on you and Sirens keeps the pace going with a fantastic drum-fuelled introduction before both vocalists kick in. It’s almost like a conversation between the two – an interesting approach to take, but it certainly works.
It’s a little disappointing that the title track doesn’t measure up to the other three tracks, coming across as a little lifeless with the slower verses next to the powerful chorus, but Chasing Waves picks up nicely with closer To The Sun, which is a good blend of all things heavy and melodic, and sums up the album rather well.
A very promising effort from a band that is surely going to go places, and a wholly refreshing listen. Good stuff!
8/10
