_{Review by Cerrin Hendricks (@panicpreacher)}

Japanese/Korean metalcore crew PROMPTS are back with their latest EP Parasite Dream, the follow-up to 2022’s Fracture. An established act that has managed to stand out in a scene with heavy hitters such as Crystal Lake and Sable Hills, PROMPTS have captured the attention of the global scene with their genre-bending brand of metalcore. This can be attributed to the band’s diverse mix of cultural and musical heritage, originating from their mix of Korean and Japanese members. 

Starting off with the furious ‘Sun Eater‘, released as the first single, the record opens up with an intense electronic wall of noise followed by furious vocals and blast beats. The energy on this track is relentless as the assault turns into a groovy breakdown with chaotic downtuned chugs provided by guitarists Matsuno and YASUI. It is rounded off by bassist and backing vocalist Piguri, who does an awesome job of providing a link between the drums and string section. The electronics of the song builds into an anthemic two-stepping hook before crushing the listener with a monstrous breakdown. The ending then shifts into a moody synth-driven display of the band’s softer side. YASUI, the main composer, has done a great job at balancing the different aspects of the band. The genres blend seamlessly, when they could easily be jarring with a less mature approach to writing.

The second single, ‘Edgerunner‘ has an intro focused on the vicious performance of vocalist PK, which borders on extreme metal territory whilst somehow still retaining their trademark metalcore catchiness. The song once again pulls a melodic shift near the end of the song, but veers away from the moodiness of the previous track with a far more uptempo clean section near the end. Piguri shows off his vocal chops with tasteful melodic vocals perfectly complementing the instrumental. Speaking of instrumentals, drummer heaven knows exactly when to hold back and go all-out depending on the mood of the track.

This leads into ‘Drowning‘, which is clearly influenced by 2000’s alternative rock and metal. With a dreamlike feel, the song ventures further into melodic territory whilst still remaining heavy. The production on this record is lush, and each layer shines even when things are intentionally overwhelming. The duelling vocals of Piguri and PK are a highlight of each track, with the right amount of clarity even when some effects are cranked up for certain sections.

‘Deceiver‘ is another hard hitting track that balances the intensity of the record with a soaring chorus, complete with falsetto vocals that fit the track perfectly. This contrasts the harsh vocals of the track, along with the tempo changes and clever use of electronic transitions. Once again, the production is stellar and knows when to switch from gritty to clear. The back and forth between intensity and melody keeps on as the track completely descends into madness before ending on a somber electronic note. 

‘Stranger‘ follows this up with a stellar vocal performance from Landon Tewers of The Plot In You, one which honestly gave me goosebumps by the end. The use of a beeping alarm underneath the verse is anxiety-inducing, with the payoff in the form of another soaring chorus. The ability to go from melodic to heavy suddenly is a highlight of the record as a whole. The main breakdown leans into deathcore and beatdown territory before a final hauntingly beautiful melodic ending. 

This melodic shift on the EP continues as ‘Weirdo ‘starts with an uptempo two-stepping rhythm before breaking into a clean verse, adding an RnB feeling before a catchy chorus. The song plays off of pop sensibilities and clean singing without needing to get heavy before it needs to. Even at its heavy moments, it retains its clear melodic character. When the screams do enter properly, the payoff feels palpable. The choir of voices in the back is chill-inducing and fades out slowly.

This is continued by ‘Death Of Me’, a track with an atmosphere that draws the listener in with its authentic and heartfelt emotion in the delivery. At times one forgets that they had just been listening to a chaotic and intense record only minutes before. The guitar work on this track is soulful and compliments the emotionally crushing vocals. The bridge strips this all away, before absolute silence gives way to an unexpectedly tasty solo. An amazing closing to an already impressive record. 

This record is truly a journey, one that starts with angst and torture, yet ends with a yearning for connection. It gave me goosebumps at times and made me want to kick down doors at others, all within a matter of a few bars of music. An extremely exciting release from a band that seems to be firing on all cylinders and worth checking out for fans of any genre of music. PROMPTS deliver a modern classic that is completely worth your time. 

9.3/10 

Parasite Dream is out everywhere now via Greyscale Records and Papercut Recordings. Find your preferred streaming link here.

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