xNOMADx - On Skylines of Embers (2023)^{Release ID: 48479}

Melodic hardcore/metalcore has indeed been underappreciated in the present when bands have gone the more djenty route. As rare as it would be to find an EP like this one from xNOMADx released in this decade, I personally don't think of On Skylines of Embers as the legendary classic that people in the future will consider it. It's quite decent, but it's missing the spark that similar-sounding bands had in the 2000s such as Shadows Fall, For the Fallen Dreams (especially their debut Changes), and Unearth.

The songs here are good with their melodic heavy riffing and vicious vocal fury, but not enough to make highlight territory. The one exception is the sick "Acephale", with its otherworldly riffing and clean/scream duet at the end, both marking this song a perfect gem. But the rest of the EP? Not really the best, but worth a try....

Favorites (the one highlight to really stand out for me): "Acephale"

I'd never heard of Massachusetts melodic metalcore outfit xNOMADx prior to my nominating their 2023 debut release "On Skylines of Embers" for The Revolution feature release status this month. I'd noticed how popular the E.P. seemed to be on a competitor's website which had peaked my interest, particularly given that melodic metalcore is generally a little unfairly treated on most serious music sites. At just seventeen minutes in duration, "On Skylines of Embers" is only a very short experience with its five tracks never overstaying their welcome or seeing you reaching for the skip button. Admittedly the material is very generic in many ways with the screamy vocals & simplistic breakdowns sounding oh sorry familiar but what differentiates xNOMADx from the pack though is their use of melody. You see, they make no attempt to take the Gothenburg melodic death metal route by layering harmonized Iron Maiden melodies, instead opting to go for a more unique & satisfying type of lead guitar melody that comes across as being more sophisticated & professional. The production is well suited to the material too as it has an air of accessibility about it which leaves xNOMADx feeling a touch more light-weight & easily digestible than many of their angry tattooed peers. Short opener "12.29 (Ahiarmiut)" is the clear highlight for me personally as it's probably the least derivative of the five songs but the other four are all worth hearing in their own right, even if a couple of them do hint at up-tempo pop punk at times.

So, is "On Skylines of Embers" worthy of all of the high scoring? No, I don't think it is but it is one of the relatively few melodic metalcore releases that don't see me recoiling fairly quickly & I can see why it's managed to appeal to a wide cross-section of the market, particularly a young female one. I don't say that in a negative way though because this is simply a well-written, executed & produced record made by a talented & passionate group of metalcore kids. I'm not surprised to see Saxy getting onboard with it & would imagine that Andi will be all over it too but it wouldn't surprise me if it caused Xephyr to raise the odd eyebrow for it either. I can't see myself coming back for future revisits but I do have a smile on my face after my long drive home from work which can't be a bad thing now, can it?

2023 was a bit of a change when it came to the music that I listened to. Following my exit out of some of the more toxic review circles in 2022, I found that in 2023, I was going to pay more attention to the mainstream and what got popular there as opposed to what some bald man in plaid on the internet thinks, and then have all of those viewers dogplie it to the top (or bottom) of the RateYourMusic charts. As a result, 2023 saw a considerable jump in terms of albums in the Revolution clan. My favourite of the bunch (Dying Wish's Symptoms of Survival) played right into my tastes as it combined mid 2000s metalcore with a slight modern twist.

The key is that Dying Wish are playing to a certain audience that is in on the nostalgia. xNOMADx on the other hand, are making a very different style of melodic metalcore. If you can think of the emo-hardcore/sasscore of recent bands like So Hideous and SeeYouSpaceCowboy and throw in what I can only describe as La Dispute poetic vocal delivery, you'll likely have a good idea as to the kind of metalcore you're getting here. And it actually works really well. Most melo-hardcore bands of the past think that in order to fit into the "melodic" tag requires clean singing, but xNOMADx prove that is not the case. Most, if not all, of the melodic leads on this record are provided by a lead guitar while the harsh vocals are quite moving in their delivery. 

The compositions of these five (well, only four I guess since "12.29 (Ahiarmiut)" is more of an intro) are top notch in terms of quality of performance and production. Bass is thorough and the percussion does not feel trigger happy during the breakdowns. If there is one thing to criticize here, it would have to be the breakdowns themselves. They feel very simplistic and on a couple of instances, I knew that I had heard these exact same rhythm of notes somewhere else before in the past.

Like I said, melodic metalcore takes two forms; the nostalgic style of the mid 2000s, and the modern, progressive style. xNOMADx are comfortably playing into the latter and I think it sounds great. Can't wait to hear what this band has to offer in 2024 and beyond.

Best Songs: On Skylines of Embers, The Punishment, Hand That Hold Me Hold Nothing