EP Review: Delinquent

No Life returned to us with a 6-track EP. Band members DJ Fieldes, Mitch Blair, Connor Dickson and Kahi Bettridge have found gold with Delinquent. This EP is downtuned, aggressive and full of untold vehemence. It’s all our music scene has been needing and wanting; something different and actually heavy. Themes include that of loss, trauma, failed relationships, and substance abuse. The amalgamation of distress signals, breakdowns, metalcore riffs, and synth that will plague you is a dangerous mix for a future set to blow your ears off. Set to tour Australia for the first time, the band have done really well with this project. They team up with the best of their kind and are set to make waves with their upcoming gigs. 

The Lies We Tell Ourselves opens the door to this EP. Fast, tight drumming meets endearing vocals. The guitar really crunches, and the whole song gets your neck hairs standing. It’s an attack on the senses, and freakishly syncopated. The breakdown haunts us at about 2.57, where it gets thicker and heavier; flaunting a complex and irregular composition. 

Look Inside hurls the lyrics “GET OFF OF ME” ten seconds in. Whispers, two-steps, and deepened vocals meet clean and fast drumming. This one I can really see going off in a boiler room, or underground show. The breakdown is catchy and unique. It’s a bit more slowed, then switches to a faster rhythm about 2:04. I love the techy layers and synth you hear ending the song, caught with the lyrics “you don’t bleed the same as me.” 

Knives Edge opens with a plunging scream into a nasty, beat-heavy breakdown. One way to process anger is to turn this track right up! The vocals hold us close to the edge the entire time; like living an anxiety-fuelled, tight-rope, near-death experience. I beg to know the story behind the lyrics because whoever it’s referencing; they’re dying alone tonight. It’s filthy, witty and has a lot of vitality. 

Puke (Feat. Plague of the Fallen) is a killer tune with a crafty music video available here. It’s got a heavy bass intro, with Alpha Wolf death-tech style distortion and atypical rhythm. Yet, it’s definitely its own territory with metalcore riffs rather than heavy hardcore, and even darker deathcore chugs if you want to focus on genre. I’d rather say it’s aggressive, unhinged emotions that literally inspire one another; hence the mash up. The guest vocalist Vincent Minchington spits brutal deathcore lyrics mid song, which adds a darkened flavour to what’s actually a really kicking, energetic track. 

Snake Eyes is a wakeup call before anyone starts to think it’s over. It’s a track that can easily throw you around the room in mosh, with chilling and foreboding guitar layers in the background. 

Alone is probably the most classic sounding track they’ve got, but still remains unboxed and progressive. Missed strings, and tight drum fills create a cunning number to end the EP with. Lyrically, this song is what makes heavy music relatable. “Lost, barely breathing” or perhaps hating yourself; it’s all a reason for the pain inside. 

This music is an outlet, and a form of very real emotional expression. I’m stoked that this music not only still lives but changes and endures in the most fascinating ways. No Life is a true relic of a metal band; one of the best we’ve got and clearly very hardworking. Their relentlessness received great acclaim so far, and they currently boast a decent gig line-up which details can be found here.