Norwegian metalcore sensation FIXATION have followed up their brilliant debut album, “More Subtle than Death” (2023), with the even more brilliant EP “Speak in Tongues.” The new studio offering was released on October 11th, 2024, via Indie Recordings and showcases the leaps and bounds the band have made in their songwriting craft and technical skills as these Norwegians weren’t afraid to take more risks and deliver such experimental tracks.
The EP consists of eight tracks, of which only four are full songs and the other four are shorter interludes that connect the overarching story. This also explains the EP’s short run time, which clocks in at only 23 minutes and 27 seconds. However, these minutes are full to the brim with electronic and synth soundscapes, crushing guitar parts, a nice back-and-forth between melodic cleans and harsh vocals, and a litany of other intriguing sounds that make listening to this album an exciting adventure, even after repeated listens.
The four interludes – “{grow a flower},” “{pick the petals},” “{tear its thorns off},” and “{blood still on the grass}” – are particularly interesting segues into the four proper songs and add so much vibrancy and distorted textured to the sound design, enriching it in unexpected ways. To expand on this, “{grow a flower}” is anything but your standard intro to open up an album or EP, as these are usually orchestral and moody. That is not the case here since “{grow a flower}” offers pulsating synths, eerie whispers, and an overall frantic energy. This bleeds into the first proper track and lead single, “Random Acts of Violence,” where things are a bit more streamlined, despite the occasional vocal effects, as the track balances neatly between Jonas Hansen’s dual vocal style. The underlying instrumentals align themselves with the ambiance of the aforementioned intro delivering frenzied drumming and thumping bass lines, while the crunching guitar riffs add some heft to the fold.
Up next, interlude “{pick the petals}” continues the trend of pulsating synths and weird vocals actually opening on a clear, though somewhat distorted, voice that says “join us.” This eerie yet calm moment gives way to the more aggressive “Blue Skies” which is a great example of metalcore at its finest, sporting all the hallmarks of the genre. It opens on screamed vocals and a melodic riff that give way to soaring clean singing and intense, crashing drums while Oyvind Lunde’s pounding bass is busy in the background. The way the band plays around with the volume on this track is quite interesting, dropping the intensity to make way for a distorted voice that says only one word, before picking everything up again and leaving that word to linger in the listener’s consciousness for a moment longer, that’s how impactful these little seconds of quiet are. As the song progresses these spoken-word moments are lengthened giving the music a nice ebb-and-flow –type of movement, climaxing into a beautiful clean-sung passage. As always, the selling point of this track is Jonas Hansen’s melodic vocals.
The next interlude, “{tear its thorns off},” feels more like a remix of a techno track with its scratchy electro beat, disjointed vocals, and pulsating beats. This leads into the monster track that is “Tyrannical Miracle” whose intensity and aggressiveness stem from the masterfully crafted interplay between the rumbling bass, heavy guitars, layered harsh vocals, and thundering drums, while some electro elements pop up here and there to soften the experience. The final interlude, “{blood still on the grass},” is an ethereal and atmospheric number with a chanted Latin phrase and rhythmic drumming that almost lulls one into a meditative state. This is followed by the closing track, “Fever Dreaming,” which starts with strummed guitars, synth, and mellow vocals only to explode into crashing drums and screamed vocals, and this gradual buildup is very well done. There are some voice-over passages inserted into this track that not only add a little extra to the track’s overall sound design but complement the ominous feeling derived from the backing synths.
All-in-all, this EP has all the makings of a conceptual mini-album as the music – though non-linear thanks to the disjointed nature of the four interludes – somehow coalesces into a cohesive story thanks to the more structured and streamlined nature of the four proper tracks. Lyrically, the songs explore such themes as identity and belonging and the allure of a cult. Though it may not rival some of prog metal’s best concept albums, “Speak in Tongues” showcases a band that is willing to push boundaries, experiment, and go out of their comfort zone to deliver such a riveting sonic experience. It’s crazy how many details – like the robotic voices, industrial drums, or metallic vibes – FIXATION managed to fit together and the end result is this out-of-the-box, complex musical puzzle that is best experienced in one sitting.
For more insight into the creation of this EP and the concept behind it, check out our recent interview with the band here.
Written by Andrea Crow
Tracklist
- {grow a flower}
- Random Acts of Violence
- {pick the petals}
- Blue Skies
- {tear its thorns off}
- Tyrannical Miracle
- {blood still on the grass}
- Fever Dreaming
Lineup
Jonas Hansen – Vocals
Martin Selen – Guitar
Tobias Osterdal – Guitar
Oyvind Lunde – Bass
Ola Donnem – Drums
Label
Indie Recordings
