Eyes Wide Open, The Upside Down Review
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Eyes Wide Open is a Swedish melodic metalcore band that was formed in 2011, but since 2016 there has been a significant change in the lineup. In 2016 the band (consisting of Kristofer Strandberg, Jesper Lindgren, Karl Adamsson and Erik Engstrand) found themselves without a singer. That started the process of finding a new lead singer, which is a nightmare for most bands, but the answer was closer than they initially thought. One day the guitarist Erik Engstrand grabbed hold of the microphone and, despite initial doubt from the band, all the pieces fell into place. Eyes Wide Open released their single “Solitude,” earlier this year. Now, after four tours through Europe (both as a headline and together with The Unguided), as well as concerts and festivals in their home country (Sweden Rock, Metaltown), it is now time for the band to release their third album, The Upside Down. The album is twelve tracks that hit hard and focus on the melodic metalcore that the band is known for.
Positives:
Engstrand is a solid vocalist with many shades to his voice. The band has a sound and it comes through in the music along with their well-crafted songwriting skills.
Bottom Line:
With twelve tracks that are pure energy and solid songwriting. Eyes Wide Open are presenting songs that are both deep musically and have lyrics with meaning too. The band elaborates the thoughts behind the album: “Solitude is a reaction on the world we live in today, a world we think has been turned upside down. A theme that can be heard on the upcoming album as well. To call it a concept-album might be a bit of a stretch, but it is pretty close to the truth. In the best of worlds, we want to take the listener on a sort of science fiction-inspired journey in the “upside down world,” where we search for our dreams and ambitions as well as meet our fears.” The album’s playing is aggressive, add Engstrand’s vocals and you have a sound where the angry sounds get angrier, but the band never loses its focus and drive for melodic sounds. “Die Another Day” has a clean guitar figure that supports Engstrand that explodes into the crunchy melodic riff. Engstrand shows a wide range in his vocal style, going from clear to screams, but always maintaining energy and a gritty overtone that shouts metalcore. The rhythm section is a driving force as the band effortlessly segues between feels, all framed by excellent guitar work. The result, melodic metalcore that is memorable, singable and aggressive. That’s the short of it!