Northlane – Mirror’s Edge [EP Review]

Review: Benjamin Coe

Northlane are quickly becoming a band that needs no introduction. After a string of sellout shows around Australia in support of their acclaimed single Dante, the band are gearing up to drop one of the most anticipated releases of their career, the Mirror’s Edge EP.

Coming hot off the tail of two absolutely cracking albums, 2019’s masterpiece Alien and it’s 2022 successor Obsidian, Mirror’s Edge has a lot to live up to and to be honest, it exceeds expectations. From the distorted intro of the title track all the way to melancholy outro of lead single Dante, this is a band at the top of their game and firing on all cylinders.

Featuring a slew of guest artists, one of the most notable and dare I say exciting appearances is that of Karnivool & Birds of Tokyo main man, Ian Kenny who goes verse for verse with frontman Marcus Bridge on the standout track Afterimage. The two seamlessly blend their voices together creating a cosmic, aural eruption for your listening pleasure.

And if the soft croons aren’t really your style then Miasma might be more your cup of tea as Parkway Drive’s very own Winston McCall adds a punishing bridge section to an already pulverizing offering. His ferocity matches perfectly with Bridge’s and takes Northlane’s signature sound to a brutal new depth.

But it’s the next two tracks that really solidify the bands standing as one of the most exciting and forward-thinking groups currently taking the world by storm. Kraft is an exploration of the more glitch-ridden, electronic side of the band and features a vocal trade off with former bassist and current Structures vocalist Brandon Padjasek, while Let Me Disappear has an extremely nu-metal-ish vibe to it, albeit with that metalcore edge.

Producer extraordinaire Will Putney (Every Time I Die, Norma Jean, The Ghost Inside) is no stranger to working with Northlane and they just seem to complement each other so damn well! Closing track, Dante, is a testament to the bands ability to write something so damn catchy but at the same time gut-wrenchingly painful as vocalist Marcus Bridge’s anguished screams echo over an electro-driven chorus that will be ringing in your ears for hours after.

Mirror’s Edge is more than a worthy addition to an already stacked catalogue of music, it is a statement. One that says Northlane mean business and they are here to stay.