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<p><a href="http://battleme.tv/" target="_blank">Battleme</a>’s latest EP, <em>Weight on the Brain</em>, is a balancing act of heavy tones, tight instrumentation and addictive hooks. The four tracks within, though separated by a wide dynamic range, flow together to create a specific tone that ties each to the next. Opening with static, fluent guitar ambiance feeds into a controlled build that breaks into the opening song, “Just Me.” Walls of sound are contrasted by moments of softness as relentless vocals tread between calm and aggressive timbres. The music moves through a vivid crescendo into “I Know,” a song that plays with odd time and expresses confidence through raspy shouts and crisp, seismic rhythms. “Cobweb Portrait” provides a momentary rest in a piano driven progression that fuels one of the most magnetic guitar leads on the EP. The song provides both emotional clarity and intelligent arrangement, every word said with conviction and every note played with intent. “Shotgun Song” completes the EP; composed of driving rhythms and fuzzed out guitar leads, it draws the collection of songs to a close with a staccato note that acts like a period at the end of a sentence. Through strong musical direction, unique tone and progressive flow <em>Weight on the Brain</em> shows that, above all, there are still innovative musicians within the alternative rock genre. Hopefully Battleme will be exploring and expanding its musical landscape for years to come. -<em> Benjamin Toledo</em></p>
