Broken Face – Broken Face (2021)

Broken Face are taking on the heavy topics of life and loss in their self-titled EP Broken Face. Drawing on their own loss and how they dealt with the grief, the band explodes into your ears with a dark and brooding mix of energetic and aggressive tones. With echoes of disenchantment and a whirlwind of self-determination, the band offers a line to anyone lost in the maelstrom of emotions that comes with all heavy emotions.

This delve into heavy emotions comes from brothers Steve and Horse Nichols. The brothers have been playing and touring in bands for years but are now turning their attention to darker alternative sounds. Together, they created an EP that is both personal and relatable.

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The EP opens with ‘Grow’ which hits out at people who want their opinions and behaviour tolerated while thrusting their judgement on others. With a blast of guitars, the melody chugs against your ears and has your head moving to the beats. There is a lowkey frenetic energy to the music that shakes up your insides before you are running with the guitar riffs. Horse’s vocals growl out against the melody before shouting out on the chorus. His performance fills you with all the things you wish you could say and often think when confronted by these people.

The title track ‘Broken Face’ has a moodier opening that is all low tones and darkness. There is a brooding feeling to the music that swirls around your ankles like smoky darkness. The vocals match this with a more creeping tone compared to the shoutout of the opening track. While darker than the opening, the track is no less engaging but pulls you close in a much different way. The moody music picks up the pace later in the track for a soaring aggression.

‘Head Like A Stone’ pulls you close with a light guitar line that plucks against your senses before the drums roll in. There is an almost contemplative vibe to the music that forms a heady river of sound. The echoing of the vocals adds a new dimension to the single that enhances the reflective and contemplative feeling. Through the vocal performance, you are called to find a balance in life while confronting your disenchantment with the world.

There is a tension resting in the opening of ‘New Days’ that sets the hairs on the back of your neck on edge. As you venture further into the song, you constantly expect something to jump out from the lower levels of the melody. This building tension is wonderfully tempered by the vocals that beckon you forward. While calling you closer, the vocals also give you a lot to think about before the guitars pulse to life. The lyrics are worth a good listen as they touch on the weight society places on people.

The EP comes to a close with ‘Hold’ which hits the ground running with a paced guitar opening. There is a much heavier rock vibe to this single that thrashes through your chest. The vocals also have a heavier growl to them as they call out against the captivating guitar riffs. You will want to turn the volume up as you listen to this song while you shout out with the band.

Broken Face hit you with a range of heavy topics in their self-titled EP. With a mixture of moody and brooding tones wrapped around engaging guitar riffs, the band has you searching for light in your life while eschewing those who pull you down. With a light touch of aggression, they lead you to the balance you need to truly live your life to the full.

Find out more about Broken Face on their Facebook and Spotify.