ColdHarbour UK – Subject & Symmetry EP 

Review by; Ruthii

 

In May 2019 the trio from Norfolk, ColdHarbour UK, released their debut EP. 

 

Made up of Tom Brown on guitar and lead vocals, Ian Arnold on drums and Alex Taylor-Thomas Coe on Bass.  They describe their sound as a mix of grunge, rock and a smidge of prog and claim that influences are derived from all the bands they enjoyed growing up. 

 

This is a rather ambiguous statement and gives us not many hints of their sound, I suppose the only way to find this out is to drive right in.  Subject & Symmetry offers us 6 tracks. 

 

The first track off the EP is Blackest Days.  After a short intro, there is a loud crash and we are in.  As we get to the verse, the tempo slows. As we reach the chorus it’s back again, roaring. The verse is rather Chilli Pepper-esque and one wonders if maybe they are one of the many influences? Maybe we never actually find this out, which adds to the mystique! The crashing drums and heavy melodic bass continue.  As intro songs go this one certainly gets you interested from the start. A catchy number that gets you hooked, by the end of the song you find yourself singing along. Now I want more…

 

Next up is Hour Of The Wolf, this is fast and up-tempo from the onset, coupled with a haunting vocal.  You can feel the in trepidation of being the hunted. Brown sings ‘voices inside my head’ a simile to being stalked by a feral animal, the feeling of turmoil. “Why do you haunt me?’  They describe themselves as a smidge of prog, this track offers more than a sprinkling, nay, a dusting, in its storytelling. It is epic. With a steady pace on the drum, much like a heartbeat, and crying like the sound of the guitar, which is quite mind bending and dreamlike, we have certainly been on a journey. 

 

Next is Dorje’s Wish.  We are asked from the off ‘Do you like jazz?’ This phrase has become synonymous with the band and is often seen prefixed with a hashtag for the social media savvy.  We are then treated to another crash and boom there is the heavy sound again. This track too me back to a band from my youth, Kerbdog. This is certainly the heaviest track so far.  We then get a drop back to vocal and a heavy bassline and drum during the verse. Again, another track in and I am still not disappointed. Toe-tappingly, head-bangingly good.  

 

It’s time to slow it down, this order is great.  I love the heaviness of the EP so far but this break in tempo works well.  Metronomic drums lay down the beat to a slow tuneful guitar and soft vocals.  The chorus grabs you the first time around, amazingly catchy, hypnotic. This track stands out after the previous heaviness, although don’t let it fool you that it’s a whimsical ballad, this is a pure rock lament.  There is so much feeling being evoked listening to this track, it is most relatable. 

 

The penultimate track is Battlestar Spectacular in my opinion the heaviest track on the EP.  Loud, aggressive vocals from Brown and we are treated to a hard and heavy track. As we near the middle of the song, they toy with us, like cat and mouse.  Loud crashes, intermittent with slow guitar riffs.   

 

We come to the last track and I am a little disappointed, as I want more!  Fall Away begins with a bass solo. It starts slow, reeling you in, heavy right before the chorus and then boom!!! That chorus hits you and it's mesmeric! It’s a treat, it’s a dream.  The stand out song for me on the EP. It’s an earworm, it’s infectious. 

 

In conclusion, as debut EPs go, this one has it all.  Every song is a banger! A collection of different sounds.  We were promised an eclectic mix of genres and influences and boy did we get it.  I found it hard to pinpoint exactly who those influences were. This confirmed that these guys have an original sound, at least for 2019, influenced by grunge, which we slightly pick up on, but this is more about a unique sound to this talented trio.  Another thing don’t let their small numbers fool you, these guys knock it out of the park on the decibel scale. The skill and competence that they show on drums, bass and guitar is remarkable. 

 

This collection of 6 tracks certainly demonstrates the wares they want to peddle, to our ears. I for one am more than impressed, I’m invested.  I have a flame flickering; my interest is rising. I will be making them a priority to catch live and I will certainly be looking forward to further music from them. 

 

Not only have I thoroughly enjoyed this album, it has sparked many a memory.  Although I cannot put my finger on the influences (a definite interview question, should we meet), they have certainly sparked some good memoirs, and that what music is meant to be, evocative.  If you are looking for a heavy, raw sound and are a 90s grunge kid at heart, that wants a modern, heavy sound, look no further. 

 

Highly recommended. 

 

5 stars.