UNEXPECT — We, Invaders (review)

UNEXPECT — We, Invaders album cover EP · 2003 · Avant-garde Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
Conor Fynes
'_wE, Invaders' - uneXpect (6/10)

Although 'Utopia' was the official beginning of this crazy Quebecois metal project, '_wE, Invaders' is the first time we get to hear the most recognizable incarnation of the band. While 'Utopia' was full of promise, weirdness, and bright potential, there were flaws in the execution that set it apart from the latter work, as well as a different lineup than the one we know today. As brief as this mini-album is, '_wE, Invaders' is an important mark in the development of this band; a stepping stone for their more involving work to come.

'_wE, Invaders' is a four track effort, with one song being a re-recording of a track from 'Utopia', and another that would eventually become fleshed out into a track from the band's magnum opus, 'In A Flesh Aquarium'. In almost every respect, uneXpect have tuned up their act and delivery; that's not to say that 'Utopia' was shabby by any mark, but over the years in between, uneXpect have fermented into a truly excellent band. The sound- as one might expect- is a bridge between the more traditional blend of metal on 'Utopia', to the who- knows-what of 'Flesh Aquarium'. As far as EPs in general are concerned, '_wE, Invaders' stands out for its depth as a listen. Despite only working with four tracks, much of the sound is dense and chaotic, with various vocal gurgles often fighting to lead the band onward. Violins are an important aspect of uneXpect's sound as always.

As far as the songwriting goes, 'In Velvet Coffins We Slept' is undoubtedly the album's highlight. A song that I first heard on 'Utopia', uneXpect gives their classic track a new once- over, with a sense of production and tighter performance more fitting of such a complex composition. The band shows many of their dimensions here, going from melodic black metal sounds to a brittle folk interlude, all within the course of one mini-epic. 'Novae' and 'Rooted Shadows' are more typical uneXpect tracks, with 'typical' meaning 'strange' and 'insane' in this case. All the same, for their weirdness, they are not too surprising to hear, and don't tread outside of the band's comfort zone, save for a few experiments with electronics. Lastly, the EP closes with a piano rendition of the song 'Chromatic Chimaera', a piece that many fans will more likely associate as the opening track on 'In A Flesh Aquarium'. Truly, it only feels like a shadow of the latter version. Despite being a quirky and technically accomplished piano composition, it lacks the dynamic and depth that I feel the full-band version would later bring to the table.

'_wE, Invaders' is certainly a worthy listen for any fan of Canada's avant-metal darlings, although it feels dwarfed by the band's full-length material, including their debut 'Utopia'. All the same, it is a necessary piece of the band's development into the jaw-dropping act they are today.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Rot Stink Rip Death Metal
TOMBSTONER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Human Rosin Melodic Metalcore
HATE BREEDER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Through The Hell Hardcore Punk
ENEMY 906
Buy this album from MMA partners
Lightmatter: Rebirth Deathcore
EARTHGAZER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Eye Of Horus (Lightmatter EP Pt. 2) Deathcore
EARTHGAZER
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Agremorta - Adrocitas (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 5 days ago
Agremorta - Ploratus Umbra (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 5 days ago
Agremorta - Vertex Membrana (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 5 days ago
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR - The Temple Of Curved Space (Official Track Stream)
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR
adg211288· 5 days ago
In Sulfur - The Gate (OFFICIAL VIDEO) 2022
IN SULFUR
Bosh66· 5 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed