Genre: Deathcore / Groove Metal
Location: Oswego, Illinois
Album Year: 2013
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Free Intentions EP Download Link: Here
Volition is an extremely aggressive band, driven by powerful vocals, consistently unique drum fills/breakdowns, and a devastating tendency to drop the beat at any given moment, creating some really groovy and heavy breakdowns. Vocalist Jake Molina steals the show in most of the songs, belting out incredible lows that are followed up with shrieking highs that are perfectly executed. His use of highs and lows really make the tracks flow amazingly. Add this to a rhythm guitar section that hits almost as hard as their drummers fills and breakdown patterns, and you’ve got quite the deathcore EP.
The tracks all have a consistent groove throughout them that suddenly shifts from the main riffs into devastating breakdowns and thrashing two-steps. During the main grooves, the lead guitar usually adds some tremolo picking to fill out the rest of the sound. What impresses me most about the band is their ability to pick right back up from some really slow breakdowns into the main riffs that create the base of the entire track. This is shown in each track in amazing ways, getting heavier and heavier as the EP progresses.
The final track Purgatio is probably my favorite. Combine a ridiculous amount of breakdowns with one of Facedown Record’s best vocalists in Taylor Voeltz of Mureau (who has produced/engineered some of my favorite bands such as As Blood Runs Black, Hundredth, Suffocate and Betrayal) and you really can’t go wrong. Molina’s vocal style also compliments Voeltz’s really well; it took me two listens to actually catch where Voeltz came in. They executed his entrance into the song amazingly as well I feel, which is featured during my personal favorite breakdown I’ve heard from the band towards the latter end of the track.
I really enjoyed this EP, and my only complaint is that I wish it could have been longer! They blend an incredible mix of deathcore style breakdowns and vocals to create an EP that does mostly sound pretty similar song by song, but there is always something that stands each song apart from the other. I’ll be blasting this EP on the way to class for the next few weeks. I can’t wait to hear what they have planned for the future. If you like deathcore, download this EP. It’s as simple as that. You will not be disappointed.
For Fans of: Existence, Whitechapel, Lorna Shore, Years Since the Storm, The Acacia Strain
Rating: 8.5/10