EMBR Stream 1021 EP in Full & Premiere Videos; Out This Week on New Heavy Sounds
Birmingham, Alabama-based melodic crushers EMBR release their 1021 EP on Sept. 3 through New Heavy Sounds as part of the label’s 10th anniversary EP series. The band — who I like to think shed their second vowel when they went from five members to four between their first and second EPs — issued their debut album, 1823 (review here), in July 2020 and in addition to being their first LP, it was their first release with guitarist Mark Buchanan and bassist Alan Light in the band along with founders Crystal Bigelow (vocals) and Erik Bigelow (drums). I don’t know the timing on the two joining the band and the songs of 1823 being written, but there’s no question the return to the more-than-just-the-Bigelows incarnation that released 2019’s 326: Spiritual Dialysis — which would seem to have been made when Eric was undergoing actual dialysis; kidney since replaced — has helped EMBR push themselves into new territory on 1021, and it shows on each of the tracks in a different way.
In the quote from Erik that follows the full EP premiere below, there’s some discussion of genre. Is it metal? Is it doom? And so on. I don’t know if that’s a question artists should really be on the hook to answer for their own work, beyond the occasional clever tagline or playful sloganeering. 
In any case, I understand where he might have some trouble tagging it. 1021 — with “Vesuvius,” “Born” and “A Grave for the Axe” each meting out their purpose with a mixture of brutality and melody — is a sharper execution even than the band had a year ago, and in continuing their collaboration with Matt Washburn, the four-piece clearly show influences beyond standard riffy fare. They did on the record too. Here though, that’s coupled with an efficiency of craft that’s brought more into focus immediately on the speedier “Vesuvius.” There are elements of modern progressive metal in the construction, and Crystal‘s arrangements switching between soar-ready clean singing and masterful screams are most certainly metallic as well, but tonal thickness is still a factor and is all the more highlighted on “Born.” The only song to top five minutes (it does so by six seconds), it rolls out at the start and lurches its way into a more midtempo chug, playing back and forth for the remainder, but if doom is just about playing slow — it isn’t — that’s where that’s happening.
How then to account for the angular riff of “A Grave for the Axe,” the open, melodic verses or the growl-topped surges that follow? The skillfully mixed layers throughout and the insistent payoff? It’s a progressive vision of sludge and more extreme metals that doesn’t really have an efficient genre tag. And as finding that very complexity was the band’s intention as stated, 1021 can only be judged as a success. That’s the math of it. As to the listening experience? This sounds like a band who are not fucking around. Metal’s hard impact delivered with doom’s thickened bludgeon, melody no less a weapon in their arsenal. Right on. What I’ll be interested to hear from them on their next offering, whenever and whatever that is, is what lessons they take with them from doing this and how their dynamic with the lineup of Bigelow, Bigelow, Buchanan and Light (sounds like a law firm, most definitely is not) continues to evolve, whether they push more toward metal than doom as they do in parts here, or if some of the murkier aspects of 1823 find their way in amid the atmospheric clarity of what they show on 1021. At just 14 minutes, 1021 is a cliffhanger in that regard, but the forward potential makes them all the more an exciting outfit in the present.
So again, yeah, mission accomplished. And if you can’t keep the numbers straight, well, I feel you. A listen or two through the EP will clear you right up.
Enjoy, and happy anniversary to New Heavy Sounds:
Erik Bigelow on 1021:
From my experience, conversations and discussions, a lot of people have varying opinions on what “doom” is. There are some common opinions that the majority agree on, sure… Slower tempos, down-tuned guitars, thick and heavy tones, etc. There is definitely more to it than that, but I’d say that’s the stripped down (very rudimentary) recipe.
To build on that – people have different ears and hear things differently. That’s just the nature of music. There are boxes and there are people whom stick within the cube. Then there are people who don’t mind the box being torn open. Both are totally cool. I’m simply stating (in a long-winded format) that – Genres can be tricky sometimes, and “doom” is different to different people – it’s quite diverse in my opinion.
With EMBR we take what elements we like from the genre and add our own feel to it. We’ve all been musicians for a long time and we all have slightly different tastes and styles – We try and write what we want to hear – it’s as simple as that.
With this new EP “1021” we tried to push past the walls of our own cube. While there are elements of “doom” in these songs, there are sections that are in another vein altogether. We set out to be EMBR (of course) but we also set out to show a different side of the band.
Is this EP “doom”? Is it “metal”? Is it “rock”? I’ll let the listeners decide. As I stated I think genres are becoming more and more tricky to define. What I do know is we had a hell of a great time writing and recording these songs and we all hope you enjoy them.
Worldwide – https://newheavysounds.bandcamp.com/album/1021-e-p
USA and Canada orders can be made via Embr’s Bandcamp page. https://embrband.bandcamp.com/music
The EP was recorded and mixed by Matt Washburn at Ledbelly Sound in Dawsonville, GA, and mastered at Soulfire Sounds in Birmingham, Alabama.
EMBR are:
Erik Bigelow – Drums
Crystal Bigelow – Vox
Alan Light – Bass
Mark Buchanan – Guitar
