Initiate are a California hardcore band who, on their previous 2 full lengths, have felt like a band itching to break out of the strict hardcore dichotomy. With Love // With Rage continues that trend and is their most exciting and promising release yet. This is some badass, hardcore shit. Frontwoman Crystal Pak is the takes centre stage, and her screams fucking rip. Her vocals are immediately stand out as the band’s most striking feature, delivering furious shrieks that drive the EP’s emotionally charged tone. Beneath her, Initiate turn in scorching lead guitars and soaring, post-rock inspired melodies, making this EP more expansive than their previous efforts, even if those moments are too often brief before the intensity takes back over.
If I have one small critique, it’d be that Pak’s vocals can threaten to be too relentless, and suffocate the first few tracks. As much as I enjoy the first 3 tracks (and I do), I have found myself wanting just a little more space and moments to breath, or at least some variation in the vocal delivery. That’s not a criticism of the performance itself – Crystal sounds fucking ferocious – but when the screams are permanently cranked to 11 and at the forefront, they can overshadow some of the excellent guitar work underneath. Thankfully, Initiate do start opening things up as the EP progresses.
“Delusions” pushes the tempo and intensity, before some sick guitar leads on the way out put the track over the top. Those cleaner guitar leads carry into “Shadowboxing”, where the arrangement finally starts to breathe. For a moment, Pak shifts lower into the mix and allows the guitars to take more of the focus, and it’s a welcome change of pace. This is where Initiate’s desire for more expansive approach starts to peek through: the tone is still unmistakably hardcore, but there’s a sense they becoming increasingly interested in what they can do with the space around the aggression.
Lead single “Numb The Pain” is the EP’s standout. This track goes hard as fuck, driven by sick chord progressions that make it an absolute head banger, but it also introduces the kind of dynamics I’d been craving earlier in the record. Crystal’s clean singing provides a great contrast against that wall of harsh screams, and suddenly the intensity feels more effective because there is something for it to contrast against.
Closer “Future Saving Grace” wraps things up with more excellent melodic guitar playing, reinforcing my feeling that Initiate are gradually expanding their palette without losing the aggression that got them here. With Love // With Rage is still a furious and heavy hardcore record, but its most interesting moments are when the band step back from the edge and let the guitars shine. At times, the punishment of their attack risks working against them, but when Initiate introduce some space and melody, the results are considerably more compelling. Looking forward to where this band can go next.
SCORE: ★★★★ (out of 5)
HIGHLIGHTS: Delusions, Numb The Pain, Future Saving Grace
FOR FANS OF: Gouge Away, Drug Church, Touche Amore
With Love // With Rage is out now via Blue Grape Music