As glib an assessment of "Helmet, but metalcore" feels, there is a distinct aptness in the appraisal. As Eye Flys whip through the trademark stop-start crunch of "Weaponize," one can't help but draw comparisons to the churning grind of Meantime. Still, it feels a disservice when comparing the two. Eye Flys scintillate with the ugliness of Unsane at their grimmest and the sheer malice of Shallow, North Dakota. Make no mistake: Context is noise rock at its cruellest.
While those seeking the pure unadulterated assault of Full of Hell may be left wanting, Eye Flys' brand of bludgeoning machine-precise noise is nothing to sneer at. As the band lurch through tracks like "Crushing of the Human Spirit" and "Fuckface," Eye Flys may be just as economical as their grindcore heritage but remain no less hateful. "Stems" finds Eye Flys snarling through boggy low-end before thundering into the metered frenzy of "Dosed."
Certainly, the band invoke like-minded brethren in Wrong, and given the band's proclivities for all things '90s, it becomes difficult not to draw one's attention to the similarities, but Eye Flys are elegiac rather than nostalgic, paying homage to their influences with precision. At times, they find themselves rubbing shoulders with Amphetamine Reptile's finest. And while it's nothing you haven't heard before, it's rarely done with this much confidence.
(Thrill Jockey)While those seeking the pure unadulterated assault of Full of Hell may be left wanting, Eye Flys' brand of bludgeoning machine-precise noise is nothing to sneer at. As the band lurch through tracks like "Crushing of the Human Spirit" and "Fuckface," Eye Flys may be just as economical as their grindcore heritage but remain no less hateful. "Stems" finds Eye Flys snarling through boggy low-end before thundering into the metered frenzy of "Dosed."
Certainly, the band invoke like-minded brethren in Wrong, and given the band's proclivities for all things '90s, it becomes difficult not to draw one's attention to the similarities, but Eye Flys are elegiac rather than nostalgic, paying homage to their influences with precision. At times, they find themselves rubbing shoulders with Amphetamine Reptile's finest. And while it's nothing you haven't heard before, it's rarely done with this much confidence.