UK band ENEMO J is a unit that have been around the block a few times, with some sources pointing towards the band being formed as early as 2000. In 2006 they released their debut album “The Angels Will Return for Us”, and have since released a new studio album every other year or thereabouts. “Miley Virus” is their most recent creation, and was self released in 2015.
This album is one of many I got in a promo shipment that appears to hover around bands exploring of not similar then at least a related style of music, where the combination of elements from hardcore and metal is the common denominator. Among those bands, Enemo J does separate a bit from the norm though, and not just by way of their chosen band name.
The instrumental base on this production are booming loud riffs and rhythms, the former delivered as riff barrages as well as staccato start and stop construction that occasionally have something of a djent-like feel to them, the latter in various forms of intense hammering patterns. The band have opted for a liberal use of atmospheric prologues and interludes as well, adding a more delicate sheen to the proceedings when utilized, and will also shift to groove-oriented thrash metal tinged excursions and occasional runs through a more emotionally sterile riff and guitar solo arrangement with a touch of industrial metal to them.
The dominant aspects of this album are in the vocals department however, as they kind of set the tone to most things occurring. The vocals tend to be of an aggressive guttural nature, of the kind that makes it hard to decide whether they are shouts or growls, and in sound and style the central element that adds a hardcore flavor to their brand of metal, at times emphasized by guitars and rhythms with more of a staccato and start and stop delivery. But the manner in which the vocals are delivered, at times in more of a rhythm-oriented structural pattern, indicates that this is a band rather firmly aware of nu metal as well, and a bit into the album we’re also treated to a few runs featuring more regular spoken words vocals of the kind the first nu metal bands had a tendency to use. A couple of tracks also sports a female vocalist with a guest role, which is a nice contrast to the regular aggressive shouted vocals, and at least on one of the tracks here, Throughout, the end result would have been rather more endearing if all the vocals had been given over to the female vocalist, in my personal opinion at least. This due to the various elements that makes up this song for me makes the use of the aggressive, guttural shouted vocals sound just a bit out of place. I should also add that the band know their way around compelling chorus sections with regular, melodic lead vocals, a feature that isn’t used all that much but when executed is done so in an appealing manner.
Apart from the final third of this album, where I generally find the songs to make a bit less of an impact due to either being too repetitive or somewhat lacking in intensity, I find that “Miley Virus” is a compelling and enjoyable take on modern metal, with the key aspects of their sound a blend of stylistic details that can be traced back to hardcore, thrash metal and nu metal respectively. As with other bands I’ve encountered exploring similar territories I enjoy this band best when they are at their most intense, but they do have a good ear for the use of gentler atmospheric passages too. As I experience this production, a certain affection for nu metal will be needed to enjoy this one, and then combined with a taste for contemporary aggressive metal of the kind that blends elements from hardcore and thrash metal into a cohesive and intense brew.
My rating: 75/100
