LIMBS

If LIMBS weren't on your radar before, they should be now. Their new "Coma Year" EP is powerful in more ways than one, delivering heart-wrenching lyrics with vocals to match, and instrumentals that are just as poignant and forceful. Anyone who has dealt with or is currently dealing with loss will instantly connect with these seven songs, which confront death with refreshing intimacy and honesty. Tough and belligerent yet also soft and vulnerable, "Coma Year" is one of the most exciting post-hardcore releases of the year.

This EP is reminiscent of UNDEROATH's early years, occupying the gray space between post-hardcore and metalcore. When performed live, the monumental-sounding "Mortality Moment" is sure to get the crowd moshing, and the quick, pounding "Blood and Heel" will definitely provoke a circle pit. In almost every song, emotional clean vocals provide the perfect foil to the desperately angry, guttural screams. Lyrics such as, "This is me reaching out but it's too late" ("Spirit Breaker"),  "Fractured and put back together wrong at the seams" ("Coma Year") and "You were my only friend" ("Vertigo") are so relatable that they make the chest cave in with despair. "If I Go Before You" is the softest song on the record, starting off quietly and marching slowly toward a full-band climax. The EP closer, "Slow Burn", ends with a transformative question: "How do I make the best of letting go of everything I've ever known?"

This release will be a helpful companion to anyone enduring tremendous grief. Those who aren't will still enjoy these intriguing and dynamic tracks. After putting out such an impressive EP, it will be interesting to see where LIMBS go from here.