Jake Aston - Instrum-metal | EP Review
June 8 | Gabriella Bosticco
West-midlands based artist and music producer Jake Aston first discovered his love of making music through Guitar Hero. Now, he’s releasing his own EP.
Specialising in rock and metal, Aston has a vast array of experience, including Drum and Bass, pop and EDM. He’s currently working towards a degree, having studied music for more than seven years. A skilled instrumentalist, Aston displays his talents for drums, guitar and bass across the tracks. Classmate Michael Lee appears on the final track, lending his guitar to the mix.
Aston describes the process of writing music as therapy, and this link to his own emotions is apparent in the raw sound of his music. Listing a broad range of influences, Aston cites the music of Architects, Badflower, Palaye Royale, Polaris, Rad Horror and TheCityIsOurs.
An EP based around three emotions, INSTRUM-METAL was produced as a university project. Aston made the stylistic choice not to include a singer, leaving the instrumental tracks to speak for themselves. This may be disorienting for a listener used to lyric-based music, but INSTRUM-METAL is definitely not to be discredited for its prioritisation of other sounds. The layered tracks wordlessly tell a story of anguish and betrayal.
The EP opens with feedback, a deceptively soft start to the first track, Hurt. Guitars quickly kick in, an unrelenting riff that holds its own against dramatic cymbals. Hurt is a tense track that feels like speeding on a motorway at night. It gives a clear vision of the angry kind of pain that continues throughout the album.
The second, darker, track is Envy. Aston’s guitar skills shine in a fast-paced riff that does not back down. Using distortion and blended sound, Envy is a dramatic track that maintains the force of the first track.
Liar closes off the tracklist with a power that will make even a calm listener want to punch a wall. Lee’s shredding solo makes for an impressive accent to an already accomplished set of instrumentals. It’s a fitting crescendo to an intense album.
The whole EP is a promising release that is highly energetic from start to finish. Any fan of heavy music will be excited to see what Aston comes up with next.