Barriers unleash their “Spirit-filled violent worship” metallic hardcore in the 4 song Be Still (ep) bringing back sounds from the late 90s scene with a chaotic intensity.
Barriers hail from Belfast, Northern Ireland and prior to the release of the Be Still (ep) have previously released a two song single in 2023 and the “Still Angry” single from this ep. While information is relatively scarce, one can infer some type of tie to Symphony in Peril with both Shawn Jonas and Dan Pelletier guesting on the ep. The band also notes that Dan “Keebler” McKay added In some vocals and writing as well as handling the mixing and mastering duties, with Ross McQueen producing.
Intensity needs to be one of the descriptors for Barriers as this ep never lets up. A slow grinding, downtuned riff begins the onslaught here and the after the opening the song picks up and then returns to the grind. In all fairness, the vocals do take some getting used to and I do like the deeper contributions from guest Shawn Jonas more, but then again, I’ve liked his work with Zao and Symphony in Peril. I’m not sure how Alan Duddy has any voice left by the end of these four songs, even though they come in under 20 minutes.
“Still Life” has a great, heavy faster riff from the beginning and the song has great pacing with faster and slower parts that are sure to inspire chaos on the dance floor. Again with the intensity, these are the kind of songs that when you’re in the pit, they seem to last forever and you find it hard to catch your breath. Thankfully, this one has a bit of break in the middle, where it then finishes out with a heavy grinding section.
“Still Born” is my favorite track on the album and has a great opening riff with the rest of the band joining in. Just the right speed for the genre and in this track the drums of John Derry stand out a bit more as does the guitar work. The repeated lines, “There is always hope…” really hits home in this song advocating for life over “choice”.
“Still God” closes out the ep and is perfectly place for the band to deliver their message of hope and praise for God. The song structure and delivery reminds me a lot of Christian hardcore from the late 90s and early 2000s and so abundant on some of the smaller stages at the Cornerstone Festival.
Be Still is a great introduction to Barriers and anyone who remembers Christian hardcore of years past will find a lot to like here. Musically and lyrically, the band embodies their “Spirit-filled violent worship” label and the conviction behind the music and delivery demonstrate the authenticity.
Rating: 7/10
Written by John Jackson
Tracklist
- Still Angry (feat. Shawn Jonas)
- Still Life
- Still Born (feat. Danny Pelletier)
- Still God
Band Members
Alan Duddy, vocals
Alan Harra, Guitars
Beth Burch, Guitars
John Derry, Drums
Joe Wood, Bass
Release Date: November 1, 2024
Record Label: The Charon Collective
Social Media: Facebook / Bandcamp / Instagram
Be Still album stream