‘A Tear In The Fabric of Life’ is one of the best metalcore EPs of all time. It even gives the Zombie EP from The Devil Wears Prada a run for its money. I don’t know what third place would be, but it is very, very far behind these two.
This EP proved that Knocked Loose could be more than the “arf arf” band. As a concept EP, there was a lot to rally around, and the 20 minute animated music video is one of the coolest accompanying pieces of art that I’ve ever seen.
The artistic vision was stunning, especially from a band who, up until that point, did not seem to have it in their repertoire. Their vision resonated with fans so strongly that the horror elements introduced in this EP continued to stick around through the ‘Upon Loss’ singles and ‘You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To.’ But as great as those subsequent releases have been, I don’t think Knocked Loose will ever top this EP.
It’s such a succinct release. Everything fits perfectly. It’s driven by a compelling story, but it doesn’t feel scripted. It maintains the band’s edge, incorporating more chaos than normal, while also introducing melodies and progressive elements less typical for the band. The dark, swirling atmosphere is balanced by wonder and awe as powerful forces are revealed.
I was especially surprised by this EP because I didn’t connect with ‘A Different Shade of Blue’ the way I hoped to after I spent so much time listening to ‘Laugh Tracks.’ I didn’t initially like Bryan’s higher pitched screams, and I missed how easy it was to understand the lyrics. Obviously, Bryan has continued down that path, especially on their most recent album, and it suits their growth well. But when Knocked Loose only had two albums, it was hard to make sense of the direction they were going. Looking back now, it’s clear how ‘A Different Shade of Blue’ fits into Knocked Loose’s discography, and that it was a necessary step as they began to explore a more serious sound.
I say all of that because it’s important to understand that although people have come to expect great things from Knocked Loose, it hasn’t always been that way. They were well known in 2021, but people weren’t expecting them to create one of the best examples of heavy music as an art form. Sure, it’s fun to joke that heavy music is caveman, unga bunga music, but it can be more than that. And the arf arf boys have done it better than any metalcore band has in the last five years.
Knocked Loose // A Tear In The Fabric Of Life
Categories: Reviews
