Envy

Abyssal EP

[4/5]

There are certain words often used when describing the type of music instrumental acts play, such as “orchestral,” “cathartic” and “cinematic.” While all of these adjectives are often accurate, over time they become hollow-and, to be honest, there isn’t an adjective in the English language that can accurately describe the emotional scope of Envy’s music. So, instead, let’s put it this way: Over the past decade, the Japanese screamo act have mastered the art of dynamics like studied composers, and on Abyssal, they’re able to go from a guttural scream to an instrumental break without sounding the least bit non-linear. This EP may only contain four songs, but that’s fine when you consider the 10-minute opener “A Road Of Winds The Water Builds” alone will leave you both physically and emotionally drained-a fact that’s all the more impressive considering we have no idea what they’re singing about. (TEMPORARY RESIDENCE LTD.) Jonah Bayer