Yersinia is a band from Uppsala, Sweden that contacted me recently about reviewing their second EP, "Lejonhjärta", which was released sometime last year (I'm assuming it was self-released, as I see no mention of a label). Their approach combines assorted contemporary metalcore styles with somewhat of a "screamo" type of edge. I guess this wouldn't normally be my thing, but maybe I'm really bored with what is usually my thing. Either way, I really enjoy this. They've got the frantic energy and occasionally loose, raw tendencies of "screamo" with the slicker production (it was recorded by Daniel Bergstrand, so of course it sounds great) and wide-ranging riffing styles of modern metalcore. The songwriting works well to keep things moving, though, so despite a number of jumps from pulsing bass and stripped down, chugging rhythms to somewhat chaotic bursts of technicality accented by surging melodies, it's not a disjointed listen. As with most metalcore of this nature, some of the vocal shifts are a little over the top for my tastes, but the majority of the vocals bounce between searing screams and a half-spoken delivery that I dig, so... the more extreme grunts/growls aren't a real hindrance. I don't think I've ever encountered a band of this nature that doesn't sing in English, but all of the song titles and lyrics are in Swedish here, which I actually think is a really cool and respectable decision. With just four songs in about 12 minutes this thing's over in a flash, but I'll be curious to hear the full-length they're putting together. Here's one song as an example:
And here's the whole EP, since Yersinia's one of those forward-thinking bands that (thus far) has made all of their material available for free:
[DOWNLOAD] Yersinia "Lejonhjärta" (@ Diamonds & Crowns)
There are links to buy CD copies on the band's MySpace page, but their webstore doesn't actually have the disc in stock, so I'm guessing it's out of print. If you like what you hear and want to download the EP in a higher-quality format than mp3's, you can do so for $5 at Bandcamp. Of course, you could also use this link if you're a generous music fan and want to help the band out with a little money since they're kind enough to offer up their material for free!
Comments
Holy shit, this sounds nothing like a demo- the tracks are perfectly coherent, despite the different elements you mentioned, the production is slick, and most importantly, those ideas are excellent. If the album is as good, it’s probably of the releases of the year.
3.10.2010 | By inhalexhale
great work. i really enjoy the vocals and how they can turn on a dime, sometimes subtle, sometimes drastic shifts in style. but always in a way that compliments the music in interesting ways. the whole band seems to be in top form. I’ll be looking out for more.
3.12.2010 | By Marcus Garvey
Oh, I’m all over this.
3.14.2010 | By Adrianoso