Exclusive: stream The Orphan's fierce new EP, 'Death Rattle'

30 June 2019 | 8:32 pm | Alex Sievers
Originally Appeared In

Melbourne hardcore-punks, The Orphan, lay down seven short yet savage tracks on fierce third EP, 'Death Rattle'.

The Orphan offer seven short but savage hardcore tracks with 'Death Rattle'.



Following their 2016 'Liar' EP, as well as their 2017 EP, 'Gods.Gutters.Stones.', Melbourne hardcore act The Orphan have tonight released their next batch of demented hardcore: 'Death Rattle.' Yet this is no end or final chapter for the band. This is but the next step.

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Produced and mixed by Ben Rechter at Pony Music, and mastered by Tom Beard at Deluxe Mastering, 'Death Rattle' is a messy, noisy hardcore affair lasting all of less than 15 feedback-riddled minutes over the course of seven loud and proud songs. And that's precisely why the EP works as well as it does: it knows exactly what it is and the band play right into that solid strength, borrowing from Every Time I Die, Norma Jean, Dillinger Escape Plan, and more.

Betrayal, loss, inequality and topics of morality are the thematic expressions of the day for the Melbourne band with their heavy third EP. As are the jagged, thrashing guitars, harsh bellowing vocals, and the crashing, spasmodic drum performances the musical aesthetic for this release. 'Death Rattle' is like a violent live hardcore show was captured and harnessed right into your headphones at full volume. From opening feedback-laden crunch of the riffy 'Church Of Snakes', through the Southern discordance of 'Love Is' and the screeching guitar-driven interlude 'Loud Flower', right up until the final chugging, dissonant notes of 'Drag' pull you under, The Orphan mean business, stampeding along with frenetic instrumentals and a foreboding tone.

It's a ferocious EP influenced by the best of metalcore, hardcore and math-core greats of yesteryear; one that places The Orphan themselves alongside the best and brawniest Australian local heavy acts like Life Pilot, JunkHeadBare Bones, She Cries Wolf, and Drivetime Commute. In fact, speaking of those latter Melbourne hardcore lunatics, during third track 'Glass Coffins', Roscoe Schwarz lends his crazed vocals to the mental fray. It's a match made in heaven.

Go stream 'Death Rattle' in full over yonder. It's now available on all streaming platforms.