Life Cycles – Portal To The Unknown (EP Review)
Life Cycles – Portal To The Unknown
Released: February 22nd, 2024
Line Up
Jeremy Cuevas // Vocals
Luis Lopez Jr // Guitars
Chris Buckner // Guitars
Christopher Sanchez // Bass
Xavier Rios // Drums
Online:
Hotter than San Antonio in July, the Texas heavy music scene has exploded over the last few years; with Power Trip, Frozen Soul, Creeping Death, Kublai Khan and I AM showing that there is far more metal brewed from the Lone Star State than just Pantera. One of the hotly-tipped groups emerging from the underground is thrash-loving quintet Life Cycles. With three previous EPs to their names, Portal To The Unknown is both their fourth extended play, and the San Antonio bruiser’s strongest collection of songs to date.
Infusing thrash metal and hardcore into the classic crossover style, Life Cycles will not win points for originality, but the strength and energy of the material on Portal To The Unknown makes up for it tenfold. The opening title track is instantly headbang-able, with a great chorus and the half-time ride-cymbal groove (hello Pantera influence) sitting between the pace-driven riffage and drum work. Chuck in a great breakdown at the end, and you’ve got an obvious set-starter for Life Cycles for many moons to come. The first single, ‘Serpent’s Kiss‘ – which rounds out the six-track effort – is a barnstormer, and maybe Life Cycles best tune to date. Frontman Jeremy Cuevas’ adds some Chuck Billy (Testament) style cleans to his throat tearing vocals, while his bandmates back him up with storming riff-work and whip-cracking drumming.
Portal To The Unknown sounds both punchy and period correct; plenty of reverb on the drums, while there are heaps of screaming whammy bar harmonics and lead runs for the shred-heads. Life Cycles aren’t just speed-freaks, with lots and lots of grooving moments across the release, such as the hardcore-meets-Slayer-esque worship of ‘Haunting Spirit‘ and the chugging ‘Death From Above‘. It’s all pretty to the point stuff; no lengthy epics or a huge amount of variety on display – only acoustic interlude ‘End of Days‘ breaks up the pace with a touch of atmosphere. Life Cycles also are definitely not shy with their influences – it’s hard not to make comparisons with iconic fellow Texan’s Power Trip – but the act’s focus on writing catchy, powerful music puts them ahead of almost all their contemporaries in the new thrash underground.
Though not really bringing anything fresh to the table, what Life Cycles have with Portal To The Unknown is a fun, inspired sounding collection of ragers. Thrash Metal fans will have heard it all before, but this new extended play is absolutely overflowing with adrenaline; it’s grooving, fast, heavy and exciting. This high-adrenaline release was designed to be blasted with the foot down, with the Texans fully embracing the crossover power of the heavy music scene’s most energetic genres. While their home state’s scene might be quickly filling up, Life Cycles fired up fourth EP Portal To The Unknown will undoubtedly plaster a smile on the face of even the most jaded Thrash freak.
Life Cycles – Portal To The Unknown tracklisting
- Portal to the Unknown
- Haunting Spirit
- Sanctioned Territory
- End of Days
- Death from Above
- Serpent’s Kiss
Rating: 7/10
Portal To The Unknown is out February 22nd on 1126 Records. Order here
Review By – Andrew Kapper. Twitter: @andrew_kapper