Up until the time I recieved this CD, I'd only ever heard of Contrive, and I'd never actually had the chance to check them out, also missing them at '03s Metal For The Brain. I'm glad I finally got the chance to hear what they're all about, having fairly high expectations of a band that's toured with numerous international acts, including Destruction, Mayhem, and Soilwork, to name but a few.
Contrive combine a number of influences (The first that comes to mind being Sepultura) to create an interesting, thick thrashy sound. Paul Haug sets the scene with aggressive coarse shouts and emotive, powerful riffing, while brother Andy delivers some brilliant drum work, which is solidified by bassist Tim Stahlmann's grooving bass work.
For the most part, the music is frantic and heavy - As one would expect, however the lads decided to include an 80 second instrumental (The Loss) performed by Paul on guitar, which I thought was a pretty interesting sidestep away from the previous four tracks... But rest assured, Contrive get right back into the hard hitting thrashy stuff that they do so well.
The seven track EP delivers a firmly performed and produced 20 minutes of Aussie thrash - Not nearly enough. I can't wait to see what these guys come up with should they ever get around to recording a full length - They've definantly got talent, and a sound that really works - From bluesy, Corrosion of Conformity-esque intro riffs, to some pretty cool cymbal work, it's all there, and well worth checking out.
Contrive have also included a nice little multimedia component with the CD, allowing you to watch an interview, a live clip from a Halloween gig, and read up on member bios. Kudos to the band for including something extra (And a nicely done website).
Note: Aussies be sure to tune in to Triple J Tuesdays at 11pm to catch Andrew hosting Australia's premier metal radio program - Full Metal Racket (you can also stream the full 2 hour program online each week if you happen to miss it).
- Zen
(See reviewer's scoring method)
