I always seem to distract myself and then cram in a bunch of new(er) music all at once. That’s exactly what happened with Anberlin’s new EP, Convinced.
Ever since the band has come back in full force, these last two EPs have been reminding me just how much of a rock band they are. I keep giving them a lighter note in my mind, but they truly rip out some heavy and intricate riffs. As I said, their latest EP is no different. Given how quickly this was released on the heels of their last one, I’m surprised they didn’t just combine efforts to make one full length offering. To be fair, I haven’t listened to Silverline since it came out last fall, and while these six new tracks all fit together quite nicely, maybe they wouldn’t have complimented the others so well.
These are all some pretty deep, dark tracks! While I wasn’t too terribly crazy about their lead single, “Lacerate,” I felt that the rest more than made up for it. I’d say for all of you old school fans out there, “Decoder” might be your favorite. I didn’t really become a fan until the mid-2000s, so I can’t fully promise that, but the comments on Youtube make me confident for you all. “Banshee” very much reminds me of the mid-tempo jam I’d come to associate these guys with, but this one has a comfortable groove that demands to be listened to over and over again. It’s also one of the top picks off the EP as far as I can tell.
I was quite taken with “Animals.” That thing just kind of takes over. The beginning builds up in a menacing, but more quiet way, before tearing loose in the chorus. There are some vocals here that I don’t know that I’ve ever heard from Christian before. This is actually a song I could see my sister getting into. It reminds me of Motionless in White or Bad Omens in bits and pieces. The true crowning jewel of the EP though definitely belongs to the closing track, “Nothing More.” It seems to capture all sorts of genre-related sounds in it, while never mistaking itself as a cohesive piece. I found myself very surprised by how much I liked the saxophone-sounding parts, and the way the waves break in towards the end were spellbinding. I know that one is making a playlist!
Overall, this was a really strong release from the band, and I secretly hope they keep heading in this direction. This EP might just be the reason I go see these guys again on the road with Yellowcard later this summer. If you’ve been a fan, check it out, but all rockers out there, take a look, too.