Enigmatic Heart – Transitions EP
Record Label: Unsigned
Release Date: December 7, 2010
Enigmatic Heart is a five-piece post-hardcore group that possesses the fundamental characteristics of the genre: dueling guitarists, alternating screamed and clean vocals, and throwdown-worthy breakdowns. The band members, now mostly in college, have cut their teeth opening for acts like Underoath, Thursday, and Chiodos since their adolescent years and own a surprising amount of musical maturity given their age. Transitions marks Enigmatic Heart’s third release and is a logical step for the band, dispensing a lively combination of hardcore and melodic influences in a more developed and thought-out fashion than their previous efforts.
“Continuance” begins with a buildup of guitar feedback suggestive of The Chariot and poises for an auditory outburst before submitting to a chorus of gang vocals that yearn “The times are changing in so many ways/We don’t want to end this/And wish things could be the same.” By the song’s midpoint lead vocalist and screamer Clark Rischbieter introduces his throaty and domineering growl in accordance with a multitude of breakdowns and driving riffs. “Live For What You Want” takes a different tact by storming out of the gate with Rischbieter’s vocals and a slew of intense axemanship by guitarists Kris Woodcock and Bobby Eckert, eventually progressing to a harmonious and uplifting finale.
Enigmatic Heart’s ability to effortlessly transition between melodic and brutal is on full display in “Always Alive,” a track that meanders between parts catchy enough to place on a Mayday Parade album and breakdowns that channel the viciousness of The Devil Wears Prada. This contrast keeps Transitions fresh and dynamic but also leaves the listener deprived at times, wishing for a further exploration of their hardcore and screamo roots respectively. “Grahamer” is evidence of the former, providing a taste of unchecked ferocity in a minute long surge of violent vocals and bludgeoning guitars before fading too quickly into melodic territory.
Although Transitions stays within the confines of typical post-hardcore formulae, Enigmatic Heart gets the most out of the five track EP by harnessing truly brutal hardcore parts with an evocative splash of melodic elements. Already on par with most of the post-hardcore bands that litter the pages of Alternative Press and the stages of Warped Tour, Enigmatic Heart will benefit from several more years of artistic growth and a wider creative canvas, hopefully in the form of a full-length LP, where they can more fully discover their sound.