Better Lovers dropped their debut EP out of nowhere three months after their debut single, and I waa definitely surprised and excited to dig into it. With only three new songs to offer, I was wondering how strong of a first impression this might be, and let me tell you, it really is one of the strongest debuts I've heard. Absolutely nailing their sound from the get-go, albeit a blend of former bands, is not an easy feat.
Sacrificial Participant is the first in line, immediately blasting off with Greg's recognizable scream voice and Every Time I Die's instrumental chaos. First verse has some fun elements, like the constant eighths riffage at the start or the really satisfying sing-scream to full scream transitions. The chorus took me a bit by surprise because I wasn't thinking they'd do clean singing so quickly, but it's a great chorus and the lead line behind it is beautiful. The second verse has some awesome up-and-down riffs with time signature switchups that's super reminiscent of both Every Time I Die and The Dillinger Escape Plan's mathcore style, but what's most unexpected is the little clean soft section right before the second chorus, super tight yet super elegant and feels very different yet fitting for them.
30 Under 13 I already talked about plenty in its own post, but it's worth mentioning that since then, I've learned the song on guitar and listened to it plenty more, and I've come to appreciate in greater detail exactly how impressive the technicality and groove is, how seamless the transitions are and how cohesive everything feels despite its intrinsic chaos. Of the four tracks on the EP, they definitely made the right choice releasing this one first.
Become So Small is relentlessly chaotic and possibly the heaviest on the EP, never once giving the listener a break. The intro is brutally breathless and astonishingly groovy, and the repetitive "become so small" over a wonky riff is a super fun touch. The bass tone and riff, especially in that short guitarless section, is super gnarly too. The song continues to be ruthless throughout and only gets harder when the breakdown comes around. The riff is unbelievably tasteful with the subtle dissonance and perfect phrasing, dropping it out for just the chugs is top tier, and the surprise round at the end with the feedback and slow-down is monstrous.
The title track is the most varied of the four tracks, losing a little musical cohesiveness for its lyrical relevance. The southern influence is evident, especially with moments like the opening riff, but the real highlight of this song is its anthemic quality. The chorus is tasteful with its call-and-response of singing and screaming, but it's the final section of the song that takes the cake. It's the colourful lead riff against a soft drum pattern while Greg lays down some heavenlt clean singing, before going into this super high energy arena-rock-esque anthem moment with gritty vocals that just fucking hits. They close out with the chorus again, and a sneaky punch of the same refrain from the beginning.
Better Lovers have proven themselves to be more than just a unsubstantiated consequence of bands colliding. The five of them have come together to make music with a strong direction, and it's evident through this EP. With the instrumental members of Every Time I Die continuing to evolve their sound past their band's end, and having Greg and Will to mix things up, they'll be nothing short of innovative in time to come. This EP is stellar short of one small but significant gripe, which is the truly life-changing kind of lyricism Keith had that Greg has yet to match at all, it's the one gap they haven't been able to fill. Everything else is amazing, and without a doubt a standout of the year.
Rating: 9/10