The heavy musical aesthetic of the industrial or metal genres can come off as extreme. The intense sounds of machine-like synths clashing with heavy guitars and exploding percussion has the charm akin to a rollercoaster or a good mosh pit, a thrilling experience that gets your blood pumping while you’re having a good time. For Eric Ezra, the sounds of grinding gears and screaming guitars are a platform to tell an immersive story that’s easy to find yourself in by simply rocking out.
The title track, “Amphibian,” immediately thrusts the listener into a sludgy, dark melody where the power of the percussion hits like a gut punch. The guitars wail as they dance with the warping sounds of synths. There is a delicate balance being struck in the track which allows the guitar to guide the listener even when the drums and synths are begging for the attention. It gives the track a haunting personality and creates a palpable atmosphere of melancholy.
“MAD” is the second track and it brings the power. With heavy drums and synths that course the brain, it drags the listener into its lair where the best of the drums is hot and the bassline is groovy. The wailing guitars are overtaken by the machine sounds of grinding synths when they attempt to distinguish themselves and the track is plunged back into its familiar percussion-heavy power. It gives “MAD” an oppressive charm as the slower and more melodic sections are mercilessly ground down to conformity by the harsh and uncompromising industrial synths that crawl with a beat that’s easy to move to, making the track a stand-out.
Another stand-out track is “mosquito.” The track immediately grabs the attention of the listener with spacey synths and poppin’ percussion that gets you moving. The rapid synths combine with the drums and the wavy bassline to create a groovy droning effect that leads you into a powerful, melodic chorus that’s wrought with distortion. Through this, the sinister wailing of the reverb-laced guitar persists and overcomes its oppression and moves the track into a much groovier beat. It makes “mosquito” a strong track to dance to and gives off the perfect industrial club vibe.
The final track, “Tides,” immediately distinguishes itself from the rest of the album by leading with a haunting synth intro. The ethereal sound is eerily dreamy and even when the drums and guitar show up, the ghostly charm it contributes never truly fades. When the guitars take over, it kicks the track into a distorted harmony of which it leads the charge. The rising guitar melodies are immersive and give the track a genuinely uplifting feeling that’s a welcome respite from the heavy industrial and metal influences that lead up to this track. It’s easy to get lost in it all until it suddenly suddenly comes back to earth to take a breather, even if it brings some spacey synths with it. When the echoing guitar riffs kick in again, however, the track takes off once again to create a conclusion that leaves you with a smile.
“Amphibian” is a journey. It takes you through moments of unrelenting sonic oppression, where the groove persists under the grinding sounds of distorted synths and pounding percussions where the melodies of the guitars fight to make themselves known. Tracks such as “MAD” and “turbine” encompass these heavy aesthetics perfectly. Other tracks see those rising, reverb-laced riffs breaking through the noise that shackles them. It creates a triumphant feeling when you listen to each track in sequence, but tracks such as “Spring” and the finale, “Tides,” show off those uplifting riffs perfectly. Through all this, each track on “Amphibian” also pulls off that industrial club feel and while a couple of tracks lean heavily into it, very few tracks feel as though they are made specifically for the dance floor. It makes Eric Ezra’s latest release one that feels multi-dimensional, with many tracks offering sounds that are easy to get lost in, making it a great album for the industrial music fan and casual listener alike.
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