No Omega : " Occupants"

This ep by the Swedish band No Omega came out back in April, so I am not sure how it slipped past me.  They take another step in a more metallic direction in their attempt to create darker hardcore, this how how thin of a line it can be between the two genres. Some post- rock influenced sections even float in on the first song. This is more melodic than what I have heard from the bands previous work. By the second song the lyrics which are encouraging the person to whom they are directed to "stay and face their problems" which is more of a hardcore lyric than a metal lyric. It is also more straight forward bordering on punk in the simplistic arrangement. It looks like "Man/Monster" that follows is going to use a similar formula until it collapses into a more post-rock atmosphere. This makes some of the hammering punches they throw at you stand out.

They have more a more expansive and sonic  rhythmic attack that is more post-hardcore than the other songs on this ep, as the guitars jangle and swell rather than jab at you. It shows a ton of maturity in their song writing and the expansion of tones at their command. They close this album out with a rumble of bass before exploding into the more metallic hard core of "Comfort". Midway into the song it goes a more Converge route, with a sample bridging the transition into a strummed and introspective section that is more indie rock in its melodic ambition, it might sounds like Explosions in the Sky if it wasn't for the screamed chant of the vocals . I'll give this album an 8.5, it eases back on intensity and darkness, but find the band taking a step forward in other ways. Not blown away by it, but it is a good album, if you are a big fan then round it up to a 9. I guess having grown up listening to Converge it makes you jaded when it comes to a hard core band experimenting, since there is no ground here they have not already covered.