Finding Every Time I Die after they broke up was slightly saddening, especially with how phenomenal of a record Radical is. Coupled with recently listening to Ire Works and decently enjoying it, Better Lovers came out of nowhere like a miracle. A supergroup of ex-Every Time I Die members alongside vocalist of The Dillinger Escape Plan and legendary metal producer and guitarist Will Putney, they released a whopper of a debut single with 30 Under 13.
30 Under 13 wastes no time making an entrance, much like both former bands, and encompasses an intense and dissonant sound familiar of both bands. Lending the intensity of Greg's angriest vocals to date, and guitarwork extremely reminiscent of Every Time I Die, any fan of both bands are bound to be shocked to their core the moment this song starts.
A lot of what defined Every Time I Die's sound makes an appearance here. Odd time signatures and spontaneous switch ups, a heavy dose of dissonance alongside groovy riffing, unorthodox rhythm patterns and song structures, all the things I've come to love about Every Time I Die. The only thing I sorely miss is Keith's lyricism, a bold display of poetic and sardonic writing that sealed the deal on my love for Every Time I Die, and one which Greg currently has yet to match to any degree. Despite that, I think Greg is a great fit vocally, and his harsh vocals presented in this song are top tier. I'm definitely curious to see how his cleans fit in this soundscape, and hopefully there's a full-length to come to answer that question and much more.
This song is a packed punch of relentless fun. The pure, unadulterated rage of the entire track, the sudden thrash section, the trash talking, the funky ass guitar solo, that vocal squeak, and enough dissonance to wake god up. It is such a promising first release for a supergroup of two now-defunct legendary mathcore-esque bands, and I honestly don't think they could've scored any better right out of the park. Anyone who was a fan of either band has something to look forward to now, and I, for one, can't wait to see what becomes of this band.
Rating: 4/5
"God Made Me An Animal" EP Cover