REVIEW: Matter – ‘Teraphim’ EP

Artist: Matter
Album: Teraphim EP
Genre: Post hardcore
Label: Unsigned

Matter only recently came across my radar. I started listening to them right before they launched the crowdfunding campaign for Teraphim. I liked what they had to offer, and while I did not end up contributing to their campaign, I looked forward to what they were going to end up releasing. For those of you who did end up grabbing a perk, you can certainly expect to get your money’s worth. These guys have obviously spent a lot of time on this album, and any fan of the band will be able to tell right away.

Teraphim opens with “A Voice.” Even though I do enjoy all of the songs on the album, this one is my personal favorite. The lyrics on this track are some of my favorite from any artist so far this year. They have a great way of writing their lyrics, and those lyrics are some of the most original you could possibly ask for in this genre. The next track is another excellent example of talented lyricism coupled with sincere and emotional vocals.

“Famine” is the slowest track on the album, and when you carefully listen to the lyrics, is also easily the most heartbreaking. The song isn’t my favorite, but I really enjoy the lyrics. After listening to the song a few times, I’ve gained an appreciation of the musicianship behind those lyrics. I’ve confessed in the past that I am not the biggest fan of slow songs, but placing this in the middle of the album to change things up a bit was a really great move.

Closing out Teraphim is “A Remnant.” This song is a little bit on the slower side, though not quite like “Famine.” It quickly picks up pace though, and the vocalist passionately belts out his verses. There aren’t a lot of unclean vocals in “A Remnant,” but the band does change things up a bit again and include the whole band shouting some words a few times during the song. This song was a solid choice for ending the album on.

If you are a fan of bands like The Elijah, then this is a group you definitely need to check out. Their lyrics are passionate and their music is full of life. While I believe this is a well written and very relatable piece of work, my only complaint is with the unclean vocals. Though they are, for the most part, right on par with the rest of the sound, there are times where they just don’t quite sit well. Aside from that, there isn’t much else to complain about on Teraphim, which is a lot to say considering these guys are doing all of this without a label backing them up. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for this band.

SCORE: 8.5/10
Review written by Kriston McConnell

To listen to Teraphim in its entirety head here.

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