Apparitions

Apparitions’ new EP, Part 2: The Inferno — a “put together” EP of B-sides and “other” songs — falls somewhere between metalcore and modern post-hardcore (think Saosin, not Hot Cross). The dual vocalists allow the band to switch between metalcore growls and extremely high-pitched falsettos that will make fans of The Devil Wears Prada (or Mariah Carey) happy. Both vocalists have nearly equal duties on five of the EP’s six songs.

For the most part, this album does little to stand out in the modern waves of post-hardcore. The EP’s opening track, “Where my Body Lies,” showcases where the genre has stagnated, with screamed verses and feminine choruses. Each song’s structure follows a fairly typical order.

There are several electronic elements throughout the album. “Enmity Affliction” and “For the Sake of Breathing” both contain a drummer with an underlying electronic beat, which creates a slightly different atmosphere. The vocals also have a few electronic effects, including the tired staccato. A lot of the tracks are also explicit.

The band’s strongest moments can be found on the closing track, “There’s So Much Blood (on the Dance Floor).” The song has a calm keyboard intro before it jumps into the falsettos. It isn’t quite a ballad, but the absence of the screamed vocals sets the song apart from the other tracks. The overlapping clean vocals are a nice touch.

It’s a good thing this is a B-sides EP because the band’s technical talent is there. Using this to stay in the public eye might just be a classic tactic.