California-based metal band Energy Alchemist is out with a new EP called Reminder, featuring a brand new track of the same name and remade versions of their songs, “Way Too Late” and “Flush”. The band is made up of Bill Hankins (guitar, vocals, programming), Julian Sterling (guitar, vocals), Erik Koski (bass), and Matt Heath (drums). They bring in electronic and dubstep elements into their music to make a distinct sound that is refreshing to hear.
I’ll go ahead and get this out of the way – everything on Reminder is solid. From crisp vocals to stunning guitar, bass, and drum work, Energy Alchemist showcases the incredible talent each member has. They had me sold almost immediately, and each time they left me excited was icing on the proverbial cake. I’ll let you be the judge of this, but I’m definitely a new fan after hearing the EP.
“Reminder” starts out cool with the elecrontic elements coming into play immediately. The rhythm is original and I found myself getting into it right away. I love the guitars in this track. There’s this great moment in the middle of the song where it almost entirely fades out before coming back in, and I really admire that. The lyrics are also especially great. My favorite lyrics are, “The sparkle in your eye blinds me, reminds me of the times that we painted our own unique reality.” It made me miss something I used to have, but not in a forelorn way so much as a bittersweet look back (through rose-tinted glasses, even).
The second song in the EP, “Way Too Late,” is a strong track that has my favorite performance from the percussion- Heath is incredibly talented and his work on “Way Too Late” makes this very clear. I love this track, especially the lyrics- they speak to me in a visceral way that mixes motivation with realism, grim but unrelenting. “Greed and it’s power is far beyond our hands / Our need for more until the extinction of man.” I adore those lines, and the delivery is strong as hell.
“Flush” is another remade track and the final song on Reminder. The beginning of the song is very good and the vocals cut through with a power that I don’t quite feel in the other two tracks. Hankins voice is strong and remnicient of several over singers in the genres they lend themselves to, though in his case, this doesn’t cause an issue at all. The song has an impressive guitar solo in the middle of the song that I loved. The lyrics are strong and I felt myself ready to fight a long-awaited battle.
I love Reminder and I would suggest it to just about anyone that would be willing to give it a listen. Energy Alchemist is a fantastic band that I can’t wait to hear more from in the future. Strong songwriting, engaging music, and a unique sound that shows that this is not just another metal/electronic rock band.
10/10
https://www.energyalchemist.rocks/
Victoria Patterson
