EP REVIEW: Pilot (OH/VILLAIN)

EP: Pilot ARTIST: Oh/Villain The current state of the Sydney music industry can make it tricky to thrive and survive, especially in the heavier realm - but one band that won't have a bar of this is heavy hitters Oh/Villain who are throwing down the gauntlet with their debut EP 'Pilot' due out this Friday. Having already revealed a taste of what's in store via singles 'Heartless' and 'Preacher', it's clear the quartet are keen to spin the post-hardcore label with a bit of a twist in their upcoming debut; there are plenty of scorching vocals, blasting riffs and tight beats throughout 'Pilot' and its seven tracks, and opening number 'Heartless' solidly kicks off proceedings with all of the above. 'Constant' sees the band etch in a tasty hint of choral voices over a snazzy guitar hook, while 'Preacher' toys with some prog, at times stepping ever so slightly over to the djent. 'Crying Wolf' paints a slightly softer side of the band, ebbing into gentler vocals after a blistering intro peppered with syncopation, while 'Alive' wraps up the show with some surprisingly deep grooves and a healthy dose of harmonies.

Aside from the textbook noisy punk/heavier rock vibes throughout, there is a decent level of thought and process kicking around that helps elevate the tracks from being just walls of noise to also possessing some inducive reflection, something vocalist Julian Latouche makes clear is no accident: "The EP tackles a lot of themes about personal growth and understanding but as the EP name suggests we want the audience to gather their own opinions and ideas about what the songs mean to them and interpret them how they please."

There is a level of intensity throughout that bodes well for this lot, and while they have been described as potentially genre-bending in the past, it's actually clearer that Oh/Villain are very much in control of their textbook hardcore sound - they simply know when to lurch in a catchy hook or wafting melodic vocal over a solid base of heaving bass, loud noises and crunching tempos, which definitely puts them on the radar of ones to watch. If you're not one for the hardcore you may look elsewhere - but this is an exciting get for Sydney to have such a confident band in our midst, and if this is the pilot episode, imagine how good the next episode will be. 'Pilot' is due out this Friday 30th June - for more info head to the below links.

FOR MORE INFO HEAD TO: Facebook | Instagram: @ohvillain

BY TIANA SPETER