Album Review : END - The Sin of Human Frailty (2023)
Converge is one of these bands who's more influential than popular. They have plenty of fans, but they’re too extreme and innovative to be like Nirvana-level iconic. What they do have is a generation of bands who are obviously influenced by them. Although convergecore isn't officially considered a subgenre of metal, it is very real and, in my humble opinion, it's also the best possible type of metalcore being played right now. A great example of kickass convergecore is END's latest record The Sin of Human Frailty.
Don't get me wrong, END isn't a Converge worship band. They're influenced by them, but they carry the aggression and chaos of their forefathers to batshit levels of anger and dismay. Considered a "supergroup", END is a side project from members of The Acacia Strain, Fit for an Autopsy, Shai Hulud, Reign Supreme and Counterparts. This is some seriously pissed off and heartbroken music and I had no idea it existed until I've seen them open for Full of Hell last November. Another great convergecore band.
The Sin of Human Frailty begins with the stocky and punishing A Predator Yourself. It's barely over a minute long, but the chaotic riffs and pounding instrumentation fucking jolt you awake to hear Brendan Murphy's tortured and emotional voice shriek "COWAAAARD" to someone who probably deserved it. On top of being compositionally odd, A Predator Yourself is played with such intent and the drum is so loud in the mix that it feels like you're getting attacked by a someone desperate. It's vibrant. It feels real.
Gaping Wounds of Earth is one of my favorite songs on the record and one of my favorite END songs period. It explores apocalyptic feelings of shame and inadequacy (which I do identify with a lot) with bombastic theatricality at first, than with blast beat-laced fury and syncopated guitar riffs only to return to the intro structure and unleash a fucking motherfucker of a breakdown. That's one thing with END. The breakdown will fucking break your teeth and make you cry at the same time. It's dramatic without being corny.
Will Putney and Greg Thomas have such chemistry on guitars. It's obvious on the title song where one is furiously riffing away and the other uses tremolo picking and other simple, but efficient tricks to layer the aggression with a tense atmosphere. Another scorching breakdown here too. Thaw is an odd, but fun one. There are electronic drum n’ bass elements, atmospheric piano and Brendan Murphy howling "Only hurt could thaw a liar's frozen tongue". I'd love them to explore more weird and experimental ideas like this.
It's also catchier than other songs on The Sin of Human Frailty? Nice cameo from Heriot's Debbie Gough at the end also. A song like Thaw is a good example that you can be breakneck and uncompromising while still having atmosphere worth talking about. Embodiment of Grief is on the busier, more technical side, but it features another god tiered drumming performance from The Acacia Strain's Matt Guglielmo, who does what other drummers do better than most and do what other drummers don't even think about doing.
Twice Devoured Kill is a nasty, groovy number that features syncopated mathcore-influenced guitars, a chaotic structure and another soul scorching breakdown. Seriously, it's so fucking satisfying. Overall Twice Devoured Kill isn't my favorite song on the record, but it is so good at intuitively creating tension for the listener, only to release it with a perfectly set up and timed breakdown. It makes it almost fun to be sad and brooding, like when you're channeling your anger to do something of yourself.
My guy Dylan Walker from Full of Hell makes a guest appearance on Worthless is the Lamb. That man sounds like a demon who just stubbed his toe against his bed frame. His otherworldly shrieks complement Brendan Murphy’s haunting, pained voice to perfection. Hollow Urn is the other oddball on the record. It's a droning, atmospheric song where Murphy's voice is washed in reverb and electronic effects. There's another original and commanding drumming performance on it and a surprise breakdown at the end.
Infest is another rager that features absurdly great drumming from Matt Guglielmo and visceral delivery by Brandon Murphy. It might not live up the record's highest moments, but it's by no mean a filler song. The closer Leper features some of the catchiest riffs on the The Sin of Human Frailty which almost feels out of place. The outro is beautiful and chaotic and once again, the band leave us with an absurd, life-affirming breakdown that makes you want to punch a hole in your own fucking face.
*
I love The Sin of Human Frailty and I’ve been meaning to tell you about it for months now. Bone rattling performances, counterintuitive guitars and a frontman who understands what the word "angrysad" means to a nanomolecular level is what END does better than anybody else. Their three records are good, but this one is one notch darker, angry and more cutthroat. I've been listening to it on repeat since November, which helped me get through some real shit. Fuck, this band makes me feel like I’m 17 again.
