London’s Heavyman return with the launch of their debut EP, Beautiful Place. It follows the life of our protagonist who’s coming to terms with adulthood, as they shed adolescence and discover that the world isn’t quite as good as they believed it to be. With stories of doomed romances, incidents with authorities and even diving into political and mental health struggles, this EP has something for everybody.
“We didn’t necessarily write with an intention. We were just expressing ourselves, but when it came time to put our first release together, we realized that we could be a source of comfort and empathy for people like us who have felt cognitive dissonance with their environments” – Charlie (Vocals, Guitar)
‘Baby Jean’ kicks off the EP with a storming set of drums and a riff that has become synonymous with Heavyman. Coming in strong with Blues but laced with groove, it immediately hits the ears and sinks into the hips. Making the perfect instrumental for the context of the song, which illustrates a feeling of awe towards a particular individual. I really like the endless spiral of melodies that come towards the end of the track too, that fall in line with the demise of the romance. It results in a well-rounded song. Backed with funk-inspired harmonies and vocals that sound larger than life, it’s a great way to get underway.
‘Something You Own’ continues the trend with a scathing set of guitars crashing against the drums once more. The vocals utilise falsetto throughout to soften the edges a little, before the band take things into a much more atmospheric sound that certainly shakes things up. I really like the pairing of this and ‘Out of My Head’ as both songs follow similar formulas and become this real medley of straight up, balls-to-the-walls tunes. I get proper School of Rock vibes from the Ooh-la-la-la’s too.
I’ve raved about ‘Loose Lips’ and ‘Pigs’ before, but it’s good to hear them refreshed by the context of the EP. They sound just as thunderous as they did as singles, and within the EP they continue to shine as standout tracks. Closing track ‘Beautiful Place’ is a real surprise though. The guitars seem more ferocious, influenced more by Metal than Blues. I really love the groove behind the vocals for the verses, and the shift into another atmospheric sound for the final moments was real good. I’m hoping this song is a signal towards where Heavyman will go for future material.
“We have moments on this EP that reflect our heavy rock influences, and others on “Beautiful Place” and “Something You Own” that sprinkle in some gentler, more delicate moments, particularly in the vocals. Getting both sides of ourselves into these songs was important, they are huge parts of who we are as a band and as musicians.” – Tom (Drums)
Anyone who was around in the Sounds Good days knows how much I’ve enjoyed Heavyman’s work and have been looking forward to hearing this EP. Fortunately, Beautiful Place continues that glorious momentum as it hits all the right spots. It’s a record that tears through the airwaves, heading down multiple avenues throughout to keep things energetic and fresh throughout. It is a blast, and I’m excited to hear where Heavyman go from here.
[…] journey. It focuses on the shift from childhood to adulthood. It’s a theme we saw shine on the recent Heavyman EP, but where it was performed through the heavy, heavy sound of guitars there, this time it’s […]