Guardian – ‘Tyrants’ EP Review

Forming earlier this year in Northumberland in the United Kingdom, Guardian are already touring their way across Europe. Trekking across Spain, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia , which is seriously impressive for such a new band. So first off, well done lads.

The band released their debut EP entitled Tyrants in May of this year, and have been building up their fan base ever since, already garnering a decent number of all important likes on Facebook. Early reports from the Spanish tour (alongside Mexico’s Frozen Remains), suggest that Guardian’s sound is certainly keeping crowds very entertained.

Speaking of said debut, here’s what we thought of Tyrants:

Kicking off with an initial bombardment of drumming on the opening track, ‘Truth Is Treason’, it is clear that these guys are NOT messing around.

The second track, ‘Re-evaluate’, really highlights the band’s multiple influences. Glimpses of Parkway Drive and As I Lay Dying are clearly present within this tune. Matthew JC Hall’s vocals are powerful and passionate, and later on in the album he really shows the strength and range of his voice.

The title track, ‘Tyrants’, earns it’s title as it is certainly the strongest track on the EP. With the whole band laying down savage and intense music, it is a great three minute advertisement for why people need to sit up and listen to this band.

The tasty, choppy riffs on the fourth track, ‘The Consumer’, really let guitarists Zac Yates and Jordan Rutherford let loose hell, as the track builds to a tasty crescendo, that is sure to get any moshpit moving.

Throughout the album, bassist Cory Young lays down a solid sonic assault, which sure to test even the hardiest of speaker cabinets, and new drummer Joshua Stephen is shaping up to be a good replacement to the band’s original drummer on said ongoing European tour.

The closing track, ‘An Age Worth Living’, is the longest on the EP and gives the band the necessary space to include some more reflective moments inbetween the savagery. It is, in many ways, the perfect exclamation mark to an EP that demands the attention of anyone who likes their music heavy and passionate.

The production on the EP is top notch and none of the tracks would sound incongruous when played alongside any modern Metal outfit. They are still unsigned at the moment, but with quality music featured in this debut EP, I’m sure that won’t remain the case for long.

You can head over to Guardian’s bandcamp to listen to and or download Tyrants now for free or if you want a nice shiny CD make sure you catch the band at a show. Also, make sure you keep track of the band via their Facebook page.

They already have a 12-track album coming out in Spring 2015, that I’m sure will be just as brutal and aggressive as this first EP! The excitement never ends.

#StayFresh