If Hope Dies (India) – Sukna EP

11th July 2016 0 By Suzie Rottencrotch

Now this is a refreshing blast of brutality!

If Hope Dies are from Darjeeling, India, and describe themselves as “Modern/Technical/Progressive/Whatever!” These guys have been going since 2010, and during that time have created quite a following for themselves with impressive performances at a number of live shows and festivals, and are considered one of the forerunners of the local Siliguri Scene.

Opening track, ‘Intro‘, starts things off with an eeriness that quickly escalates and leads seamlessly into the pulverising ‘Hurry Burry Spoils The Curry‘ – an angry sounding sonic attack with a serious “don’t fuck with me” attitude. It’s so well done that it’s hard to believe this is the band’s debut release. ‘The Eternal Mindfuck‘ carries on in the same vein, giving you little chance to catch your breath with it’s aggressive riffs, pounding drums, and rabid rapid-fire vocals.

‘He Implodes‘ is the perfect example of what If Hope Dies are all about, skilfully blending together a number of influences – including death metal, groove metal, and technical / progressive metal. It’s unlike anything else I’ve heard on the Indian metal scene, and should sound original enough to get these guys noticed on the international stage too. Check it out and see exactly what I mean –

Final track, ‘Brothers‘, finishes things off nicely with an equally full-on and aggressive in-your-face noise fest. It’s the audio equivalent of a faceful of sulphuric acid, and leaves you breathless from its sheer power and relentlessness.

The musicianship on this EP is first class, and it’s clear that these guys have been playing together for years because they’re as tight as hell. There is just the subtlest hint of Slipknot in the overall feel and vibe of the EP, but If Hope Dies have created their own unique sound here and they are clearly a band to watch to see what they do next. It’s worth mentioning that the production on all 5 tracks is perfect, getting the most out of each band member and giving them all a chance to shine, and the CD is beautifully packaged and comes with full lyrics.

If Hope Dies have produced an incredible debut EP and, if you’re a fan of hard-hitting metal that isn’t afraid to mix it up a bit, then you simply have to get yourself a copy of this. Outstanding!

Score: 8.5 out of 10