Reviews list for Northlane & In Hearts Wake - Equinox (2016)

It has been 10 years since this collaboration EP has been released, and I've only listened to it for less than half that amount of time. Surprisingly I haven't reviewed it like I did with all the other Northlane albums, but there's no better time than now. Two Australian metalcore bands Northlane and In Hearts Wake banded together for a top-secret project that wasn't revealed until the day of its release. This 2-band 10-man collaboration has resulted in a 3-track epic that includes two songs connected together by an interlude, similarly to Invent Animate's The Sun Sleeps, as If It Never Was 5 years later. Those two bands would then tour together to promote this masterpiece!

So if you're thinking they were just going to combine the djenty atmosphere of Northlane with the hardcore aggression of In Hearts Wake, that's somewhat true. Both sides were cranked up, causing a new different sound for those bands. This is more than just a metalcore release, it's a journey! In which you can transcend through the astral realms while looking down at the world's political and environmental issues.

The first part "Refuge" is the true highlight of it all. The heavy riffing and growls lead to peaceful melodies and cleans. The former vocal style shows the intense power of Jake Taylor while the latter, sung by then-bassist Kyle Erich, enhances the chorus. His clean vocals sound so commanding, which is what I like and what stablized In Hearts Wake's sound before his recent departure from the band. The title instrumental is what connects the two songs together and is a beautiful smooth interlude. It works as a prelude to something big to close things off, which is kinda the reason for one of my Revolution playlist submissions.

For this EP, the big send-off is the 3rd part "Hologram". Transitioning from that interlude into guitar distortion and drum kicks, you can hear the vocal diversity of Northlane vocalist Marcus Bridge hit you in the face. The atmospheric melody and djenty riffing of the Northlane album before this, Node, are around before a final tantrum that is the deathly breakdown. Fantastic heavy ending!

Not often can you have 10 people work together and make a beautiful odyssey. It must've been quite a challenge, but in the end, we get to experience a journey made in a journey. Teamwork makes the dream work, baby!

Favorites: All tracks but especially "Hologram" and "Refuge"