Mind Noise Network
Shields - Guilt
by Luke Athorn - 20 April 2015
Here I have the new EP from Shields before me. My headphones are on, and I am sat in the most comfortable position I’ve been in all day.
Upon pressing play, we are met with a sinister piano led intro, before the vocals kick in; “I’ve dealt with worse,” comes the scream, and then comes what can best be described as an all-out assault of the eardrums as the music kicks in. Vocalist/Guitarist, Sam Kubrick said recently that “this release does not hold back in the slightest,” and he is right, it doesn’t.
No Hope continues in the same vein. The music here really does fit with the title, bringing about visions of an apocalypse. Ok, this might not be exactly what the song is about, but it’s an interesting image all the same.
First single Jordan, is perhaps the pick of the bunch from the five songs on offer here. The song is about a close friend of one of the band members taking their own life, and the way in which he comes to terms with it and tries to move on. Poignant indeed, and very nicely done.
Album closer But This Is Worse is a more gentle affair; at least at first. There’s heaviness lurking around every corner of this EP, and this song is no different. It may even be the heaviest song on the whole thing, but the softer intro is a welcome break from the carnage that preceded it.
What is particularly pleasing about the songs on this EP, is that yes it's outrageously heavy, yes it’s aggressive, but it’s controlled well. It’s well-structured and melodic, two things which are easily lost within this genre. On the other hand, some of the songs are possibly a little too long, but that is the only criticism, and it’s very minor. Shields are already making some sizeable waves and this EP will only help with that momentum.
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