REVIEW: Every Hell - Vertebrate

‘Vertebrate’ is the debut EP from the up-and-coming self described ‘doom pop’ group Every Hell, hailing from Brighton and featuring former members of bands such as Black Peaks, Memory Of Elephants and Broker. This six track release showcases a promising debut for the fourpiece, with a gritty rawness that leaves you eager to discover what heights Every Hell will go to with such solid beginnings. ‘Vertebrate’ is an interesting and impactful listen, with standout singles already out such as gloomy, riff-spangled track ‘The Watcher’.

For a debut EP, ‘Vertebrate’ sonically cements Every Hell in their own unique genre, definitively shaped by each members prior experiences in their former bands to create something new in its own right. Even more impressively, ‘Vertebrate’ was recorded “organically” according to bassist Andrew Gosden, rather than being “sat in front of a computer editing the best bits of 30,000 takes to make the song 'perfect’”, offering a refreshing change to many new releases polished to perfection, and it shows throughout the EP. ‘Vertebrate’ is the sound of a band who are already fully realised in their creativity and can only go up from here.

Opening track ‘Bad Cop’ is a headfirst dive lyrically into “fighting for attention in your family”, with vocalist Will Gardner re-imagining “the conflict and difficulty of having young kids as two gunslingers in the wild west in a deserted town". The anguish of the themes set out by Gardner is clear throughout the whole of ‘Bad Cop’, making for a solid opening track to the EP, the emotions of the track also spilling over into the next song, ‘Freaking Out’, with a high intensity all over every aspect of the song.

Track three, ‘Ghost’, is a prime example of the ‘doom’ side of the term doom pop, the instrumentals mixing with Will Gardner’s gritty vocals and creating a sense of unease throughout the almost six minute track. ‘Ghost’ feels like it was made to be experienced alongside a horror film for how well it encapsulates the feeling of disaster, and the slower, more contemplative tone helps nurture those emotions throughout the song.

Towards the middle of ‘Vertebrate’, Every Hell take a slower pace but lose none of the EP’s rawness and heaviness with ‘The Watcher’, before ramping up the energy again in final tracks ‘Revery’ and ‘Another Killer’. ‘Another Killer’ brings the EP to a close kicking and screaming, with four minutes of remarkably adrenaline filled drums, riffs and vocals, leaving us just barely sated, almost frothing at the mouth for the chance to have more music to hear from Every Hell already.

It seems clear that while ‘Vertebrate’ is just the beginning for Every Hell, it’s an EP that’s packed from start to finish with creativity and adrenaline from every member. For Every Hell to take these six tracks, record them in one take and leave the studio with an EP this cohesive shows that they’re truly a band to watch for, and their rip-roaring sound and energy can only steer them in the right direction if 'Vertebrate' is any indication.

Words: Kassian Wynne

Photos: Every Hell