Reviewed by David Ashley

The pessimist in me didn't expect much from a self-titled four track EP from a band called Ethanol 58 (presumably the 58 is there because Ethanol on its own is already taken.) My cynicism quickly evaporated, and I was forced to admit that this release from a New Zealand five piece is actually pretty impressive. The tracks that bookend the EP are not necessarily the best; the opener "Escape" was strong but fairly typical drop-D metal fare - similarly the final track. "And She Said" on the other hand is up there to compete with the best of the current metal bands. Then "Not Today" really took me by surprise - an acoustic track that's genuinely beautiful, the writing as strong as Staind, Evanescence or similar. The album is well produced as well, the sound is full and enveloping - I would've loved a real string quartet on "Not Today" but that's a bit of a big ask. Pure conjecture, but I'm glad that they've started with just an EP - a full length album might have been a stretch to keep the quality high but for an unsigned band E58 have done more than enough to justify greater backing in the future. Keep it coming!

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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