2020
While the vast majority of my 2020 listening slate has been filled with listening to ear splitting and volatile hardcore and tons and tons of hip hop of all different kinds, Cincinatti metal trio Ball Of Light's 2 song EP has been a refreshing reminder of how potent and crushing post metal can be, specifically if it packs the tremendous bite that this release does. The band also has another interesting ace up their sleeve with Gared O' Donnell from the legendary Planes Mistaken For Stars playing backup guitar and vocals as a guest on both these songs.
Opening with "Under Red Skies", Ball Of Light waste no time hitting you with a crushing section immediately. I definitely recalled the classic Baroness EP's One and Two while listening to this, as well as bands such as Akimbo and City Of Ships. The music is as catchy as it is heavy, and I found myself listening to these two songs on repeat for quite a while mutliple times. That the band was able to incorporate Gared into the fold so organically is also impressive, as his contribution fits perfeclty within their sound, and adds an extra layer of atmosphere that really takes these two tracks to the next level. Closing song "Burden" is a bit slower/more morose than the first, but still has it's fair share of heaviness as well. It's been a while since I've heard a band rip through the post metal sound with such an urgency and punch, and it's definitely a refreshing take on a genre that admittedly at times has not thrilled me in recent years.
All and all, Ball Of Light's new EP serves as a great indication of where the band is heading, and from what I've listened to on their bandcamp page I'd say these two songs are the band's best to date. I am definitely excited to see what the band has coming up next in regards to a follow up record. You can stream the first song from the release on the band's bandcamp as well as the bandcamp of Rad Girlfriend Records, who will be releasing the songs as a 7 inch. I highly recommend checking this out if you're a fan of older Baroness, Kylesa, or forward thinking and heavy post metal in general.
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