Brisbane’s Revoid have flown a little under the radar when it comes to some of the big releases that have dropped this month and that is truly a tragedy. Putting out their second EP ‘Evergrey’ the metalcore band is one of the country’s best kept secrets and this release proves why we should be taking more notice.

Opening with the single ‘Everything’, this song has a gut-wrenching melancholy intertwined throughout. Frontman Dale Dudeson’s vocals are haunting. The subtle guitars hit like rain drops on the windowsill as you sit with your emotions on a cold winter’s day, dripping into your psyche by way of a prominent bassline. It is a modern metalcore ballad at its finest, drenched in an emotion and heavy in every way, shape and form. The prog-metal infused breakdowns embody the same melancholy that is infused in the vocal delivery, creating a truly intense melding of vocals, lyrics and instrumentation.

The next track ‘Visionary’ is a sonic tug-of-war in the best way. The guitars come in with almost a pop-like melody when suddenly they are yanked into a heavier direction by the vocals and drums. Dancing across the rhythm section, once the chorus hits, you start to realise just how good this band is at songwriting. It is modern metalcore at its finest, reaching across genres and infusing sounds to create a dynamic and layered track.

‘Let You In’ hits in a different way. Opening with extreme vulnerability in the lyrics, it is raw and honest. The softness of the vocals, the lightness of the guitars is juxtaposed with the heaviness of the drums, allowing the lyrics to truly shine. It is deep, dark but strangely embodies a sense of hope. It tells a story of opening up and taking the step to let somebody in. As it picks up the pace, it doesn’t lose the ballad feel…if anything it just takes on a more powerful form. The vocal harmonies with the guitar singing in between, just an absolute work of art of a song.

From the beautiful softness of ‘Let You In’, we are quickly thrust into the heaviness and speed of ‘Euphoria’. This two-minute banger is here to remind you just how heavy this band can be, ripping into an aggressive display of modern metalcore at its finest. Its djent infused guitars and machine gun drumming just hits in all the right places. It makes for the ultimate breath of brutality before we are thrown into ‘Never Mind’.

The second single released from the EP, ‘Never Mind’ takes on its own identity. Melodic, hypnotic and just another example of this band’s song-writing prowess. Riding that boundary of straight forward intention and poetic expression, flowing effortlessly between heavy and soft- it is the kind of song that finds it way on repeat, because you are determined to let the beauty of it seep into your skin. It was the right choice to release this as a single.

Finishing off ‘Everygrey’ with ‘Fray’, it feels like a culmination of everything the band has tried to achieve with this release. The final statement. The epic finale. The breakdowns are heavy, the vocals have range, and every moment etches into your brain. Delivered with a flow that most musicians may spend decades trying to achieve, it is an easy track to get lost in.

As I’m looped back to the start of the EP, I feel like I have been taken on a journey of working through the darkest moments and thoughts of somebody’s life. Of course, delivered with a soundtrack of utter brilliance. Not a second on the EP feels accidental. As mentioned, the way it flows allows it to be played seamlessly- which is both a strength and a flaw. I find myself lost in moments but eventually brought back to consciousness by a particular poignant moment.

This is the kind of EP you put on when you either want to close your eyes and lose yourself into music. While it can be enjoyed casually in the background, it just seems to me that to fully grasp the essence of this EP, you need to be able to absorb every second.

Rating 9/10
Review by Kayla Hamilton (@kaylazomboid)
You can stream ‘Everygrey’now here.