If post-hardcore ever needed a shot of adrenaline and self awareness, En Masse just delivered it with their new EP, newviolenttrends, out today on Fever Ltd., a 12-minute sprint through distortion heavy vulnerability, primal urgency, and deliberate chaos. It demands your attention in a deliberate and bold way that is refreshing to say the least.
Across four tracks, the trio blends sharp, serrated riffage with slow-burn atmosphere in a way that feels both nostalgic and freshly unhinged. It’s as much a nod to their sonic roots, Glassjaw, Deftones, Depeche Mode, and The Cure, as it is a challenge to post-hardcore’s boundaries. Mixed and mastered by Adam Cichocki, the EP arrives fully formed, ferocious, and introspective.
“If there’s anything I’d want someone to feel while listening to this EP, it’s a sense of urgency,” says vocalist Zack Santiago, and he has a great point. From start to finish, these songs carry a desperate weight. They erupt, collapse, and leave you staring at the wreckage, but not before reminding you to “embrace your own autonomy” as Zack put it.
Closing track “celine” gets the visual treatment in a just released video directed by Nick Libraro, where the band performs with the raw intensity of a basement show gone spiritual. It’s jagged, beautiful, and claustrophobic, the perfect mirror to the EP’s closing moments.
Still riding the wave, En Masse is hitting the road this August with labelmates Fly Over States for an East Coast run that feels like a victory lap for a band still sharpening its teeth.
If newviolenttrends proves anything, it’s this: En Masse isn’t waiting around for post-hardcore to catch up. They’re already carving out the next chapter and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
newviolenttrends EP Tracklist
Tour Dates
7/10 – New Haven, CT – Cafe Nine (w/ Cryptodira, Warm)
w/ Fly Over States
8/1 – Easton, MD – Easton Pizzeria
8/2 – Virginia Beach, VA – TBA
8/3 – Greenville, SC – Swanson’s Warehouse
8/4 – Hollywood, FL – TBA
8/5 – Orlando, FL – Sly Fox Pub
8/7 – Atlanta, GA – Arte Tattoo
8/8 – Raleigh, NC – King’s
8/9 – Bethlehem, PA – Homebase Skateshop
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