Album/EP

Signals – Poetry Of Spite (EP Review)

Nov 21, 2024

7 min read

Signals – Poetry Of Spite
Released: November 21, 2024

Lineup

Calem Pepper-Freeman // Vocals
Tyler Di Palo // Guitar
Travis Gardner // Guitar
Kynan Mallia // Bass
Dylan Di Palo // Drums

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There is something so fiercely addictive about the music of Adelaide metalcore band Signals. Carving a legacy for themselves and rising to the top of the local scene, the band has made their presence- taking the opportunity to rip up every stage the ever grace.

This is why their latest offering, the seven-track EP Poetry Of Spite has been a much-anticipated release amongst those who have been keeping their eyes on this young band. So has the wait been worth it?

It certainly has.

From the second the intro ‘Revolt’ kicks in an unrelenting energy bursts forth. It is a heavy and driving energy. Sustained and almost like it is struggling forth, encapsulating the feel of the lyrics- “it will never be enough”.

Feedback blaring, it slowly leads us into the next offering: ‘Hellscape’.

Driving this track is thunderous Dylan Di Palo on the drums, setting the pace and decorating the gaps with intricate fills. He is complimented by the beefy bass of Kynan Mallia giving us the rhythm section of our metalcore dreams. In constant flux, ‘Hellscape’ refuses to conform to a classic structure. Guitar dancing over the drum and bass brethren, vocals snarling and bringing us to the kind of breakdowns we crave. Heavy and fast to start with, then repeating it lower and slower. The feedback returns, this time giving a noise music feel before the latest single ‘Permanence’ appears- taking centre stage.

It’s time for the guitars to shine now, with axe-wielders Travis Gardner and Tyler Di Palo bringing the riffs on this one. One of the fun things about Signals music is that no matter how brutal or vicious the music gets, there is always an underlying melody that infects your body when you listen. ‘Permanence’ is a perfect example of this. As groove-laden as this track is, it is quickly replaced with an atmospheric outro that reminds you that this band has not come to play. They reach into the darkness and pull from it as inspiration, bringing to life the gritty and the raw.

The title track comes next, which was also the second single released on the album. Dylan is an absolute weapon here, ripping through the double kick like it’s nobody’s business. The guitar feedback is once again used expertly, adding a dynamic layer to the track, almost becoming part of the band’s signature sound. Once the breakdown hits, I challenge you to not make that face of disgust as you let it wash over you. It’s foul but in the best way.

After what is one of the longer tracks on the EP, the energy speeds up with the tenacious ‘Insignificant Seller.’ This is that track we always crave on a metalcore/hardcore record. It’s fast. It’s furious. No nonsense. The ultimate mosh track. Moments for two-stepping, moments for circle pits and moments to spin kick. Oh and of course, how could I forget- a heavy-ass breakdown.

Now, I haven’t taken a moment to talk about one of my favourite things about Signals music- frontman Calem Pepper-Freeman’s vocals. So, as we come to ‘Exit Wound’, this is probably the best time to mention them. Straight up we are hit with his raw, venomous vocal delivery. Giving us an authentically angry vocal delivery. From snarling yells to deep growls, he can both decimate this track and bring it to life between breaths. While it is most evident in this one, throughout the whole release he gives us glimpses of his range.

To finish off, the band taps into that slower, sludgier side of metalcore with ‘Cold Blood’. That underlying groove I mentioned earlier starts to take over, broken up by moments of feedback and speed. You cannot keep Signals still for long, with the pace slowly starting to pick up. Technical in its construction but simple in its delivery, after a crescendo of speed and excitement we are quickly dragged back into the muddiness. This gives us a low and slow outro, with one final intricate little fill on the drums- the final moments feel like the ending of a live set.

Touching on that, the way this EP is laid out is very reminiscent of the band’s live shows. There is a pace that is set, and the track listing is set out in such a way that I’m constantly envisaging how the crowd would be moving throughout. To me though, that is not a criticism- rather it shows me what this band truly is about.

It is one of those EPs though that will take a few listens to truly take in the intricacies of it. For those new to Signals, the experimentation of combining noise music elements with heavy metalcore may feel a little jarring at first, as it is not your stereotypical effects-driven modern metalcore sound. While it does dabble with effects, they take more of a more raw, under-produced feel compared to other bands in the genre. I encourage you to give it a few spins. Each time you will notice all the little details hiding between the distortion and heaviness.