Antlerz – Skinwalker (2021)
Crushing basslines, raw metal guitar riffs and uniquely engaging vocals are just a few of the things you can enjoy when listening to Antlerz. With their EP Skinwalker, the band hits you with the storm of their music whipping you into a frenzy. Their wild live shows have been captured in the studio and transformed into the groovy tones and razor-sharp lyrics of the five tracks in the EP.
Since they hit the scene in 2018, the band have been making a serious name for themselves. Making it to the London finals of the Soundwave Music Competition is only one of their achievements which include supporting Crazy Town on their European Tour. Drawing on a rather eclectic mixture of influences, the band seamlessly blends them into an engaging soundscape.
The EP opens with ‘Sole Survivor’ which gets the ball rolling with a truly impressive guitar burst. There is a punch to the guitars that sweep you up in their power before the vocals hit you upside the head. The vocals are all rap-rock with a serious hit of attitude. As you listen, the attitude of the vocals flows into your veins and fills you with the power of the song. The song has a high-octane energy that makes you want to jump around while blaring it at top volume.
‘Weekend Roam’ continues the guitar hit but comes at you from a completely different direction. The frontal assault of the opening track is dropped for a more subtle attack. The vocals feel like they creep up on your back before draping over your shoulders and making you bounce to them. There is a wonderful anthemic edge to this track that shines in the more melodic calls of the guitar. The interplay between the rap-rock vocals and the grooving guitars is utterly delightful.
The opening of ‘All For Me’ has a heavier thrust to the guitars that hits you much deeper in the chest. The guitars are really a thing of beauty as they call out to each other before the vocals hit. While the vocals carry the same rhythm on this track, there is a more grounded feeling to them when they initially hit. There is subtle aggression woven into the song from the darker thrust of the guitars to the almost growled vocals. This has all been wrapped up in a ridiculously engaging rhythm that has your head banging to the beats.
‘Facing Away’ takes a different approach with a softer progressive opening that leads to gentler guitars. While overall softer, the track carries the same power as the rest of the EP. The vocals have a massive emotive hit laced into them that tugs at your heart and draws your spirit into them. The racing of the guitars that comes later in the track builds to a swell of emotion that is like an awakening. There is a delicate interplay in this song that you might miss the first time you listen but is well worth looking out for.
The EP closes off with the title track ‘Skinwalker’ which fills you with vibrating electricity from the first second. The guitars are all fizzing energy that forces your body to bounce with the rhythm while the vocals pierce through like sharp daggers. There is a shout on the chorus that is addictive and raw power that coils in your chest just waiting to burst out. This is the perfect end to the EP as it brings all the excellent elements of the band to your ears while leaving you packed with satisfied energy.
Antlerz hit you with a run of guitars and sharp vocals filling you with electric energy in their EP Skinwalker. Each track is a sizzling storm of guitar riffs, emotive rap-rock vocals and subtly woven messaging. An amazing debut EP, it will get you excited for what the band comes up with next.
Find out more about Antlerz on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
