Album Review: I, Valiance - 'The Reject Of Humanity'

3 February 2015 | 11:24 am | Alex Sievers
Originally Appeared In

If this EP was a shotgun, it would be called Ernest Hemingway because it will blow you away.

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Titty sprinkles!

Now that we have your attention, humans of earth, it’s time to get in touch with your filthy, misanthropic side with I, Valiance’s s new EP, ‘The Reject Of Humanity’.

These Melbourne hatemongers have just dropped one of the heaviest releases of 2015 (yeah, it's early days but this one is definitely going to be right up there). If you were on the ball and got it the second it dropped on their Bandcamp (because iTunes was being a bell end as usual) then you probably already know this. But for the uninitiated, here’s the inside scoop about the EP. It’s hateful, it’s massive in scope and sound, it’s tighter than Tupperware, the music and the mix is deeper than Mariana Trench (the actual trench, not the Canadian band) and oh yeah, it’s heavy as all fuck.

Once the eerie and ominous sounding ‘Prologue’ drops into one seriously punishing breakdown, it explodes into a flurry of blast beats, guttural screams and some of heaviest low-tuned riffs this side of Black Tongue. That’s all in a minute and a half time frame mind you and before you can get your bearings on just what is actually going on, ‘Part 1: The Pillars Of Ruin’ kicks down the front door and rocks your world. This song is all about its tight, relentless drumming, the insanely deep vocals, backing string sections, occasional bit of synth, an earth-moving low end, and filthy, heavy riffs and chugs that are differing just enough to be more than typical or generic. There's also a very brief moment in the middle of the song, which can be best put as if you walked into a carnival and saw a metal band busting out circus themed songs. It's only in there for a few seconds, but it's a very cool moment.

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'Part 2: The Loneliest Soul' follows the same path as its predecessor, and to an extent, the whole EP is a lot like the first song, but it only gets better as it goes on. This one is definitely a more typical death metal/deathcore song, and it moves at a far brisker pace and is basically the epitome of musical chaos. Once the interchanging and menacing screams and the backing leads are done, the band goes into one of the most balls-out, mosh-heavy sections to appear in any of their songs thus far. Seriously, it's nuts. The band then slows it all down as they leave you with the fading synth to help lead into the EP's strongest tracks - 'Part 3: Thrown To Belial'.

This track is the longest of the six, and it wraps every element of the band's sound into one sonic assault. Sharp, heavy riffs, and swirling lead guitars, gut-wrenchingly low end, bewilderingly heavy vocals, tight, brilliant drumming, the band's love of moving from blast beats to breakdowns to off-time rhythms, differing vocal styles, the incorporations of synths, a melodic, dynamic instrumental section and everything else in between that a metal band can or would do.

'Part 4: Gods Mouth' is, again, a pretty heavy one, and it's almost overshadowed by the previous track, but not by much. In fact, it's probably the weakest track of the bunch, even then though, it's still a real banger. It's also the last proper track of the EP, before the last song, the short and heavy 'Pure Misanthrope', which is basically a giant massive "Fuck you" to all listeners and utilises crushing grooves and screams to an incredibly powerful effect.

Across the EP, one minute the band are running at breakneck speed and then all of a sudden, they pull the ground out from under you and slow it all down for some ludicrously weighty drops and breakdowns. However, it still feels cohesive and not spontaneous or all over the place, something that could have easily happened. Now, while the music isn't necessarily original, though it is very solid, the vocals really steal the show. Pig squeals, low growls and your standard death metal vocals pop up, but shit, are these vocals solid.

Ah yes, the vocals. This is the one problem with this EP and it’s not even its fault. Vocalist Mark Poida has now (apparently) shimmied on over to the alien-hailing boys in Aversions Crown, leaving I, Valiance up shit creek without a loud, screaming, demonic sounding paddle. Hopefully his replacement will be more than capable of handling the vocal duties as it would be a damn shame to see the band falter now after such a power-house release.

Look, in the sky, it’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Trent Reznor – no, it’s I, Valiance and they are about to fuck up your world son. With ‘The Reject Of Humanity’, the band has really brought their A-game, and hopefully lineup changes won’t hinder their future, which could be big indeed. This EP has been a long time coming for these Melbourne boys, but it has really been worth the wait, so make sure you pick it up, you mere mortals. Go here, and don’t be a dick, it’s only a couple bucks, and also because fuck iTunes.

1. Prologue

2. Part 1: The Pillars Of Ruin

3. Part 2: The Loneliest Soul

4. Part 3: Thrown To Belial

5. Part 4: Gods Mouth

6. Pure Misanthrope