Establishing themselves in 2017, Connecticut act Carried by VI as a band travel across various metal and hardcore platforms style-wise when engaging with their material. Metempsychosis is the latest EP release, a four-song outing that captures a solid cross-pollination of everything from doom and death to groove and hardcore aspects, all wrapped around a metal platform. While very straightforward in terms of the energetic delivery and in your face tones/production values, most listeners will need a few passes to understand the hooks, transitions, and aggression put forth.
A hardcore angle comes from the forceful immediacy and in your face nature of vocalist Jim Brindisi upon the first verse of “Disabled” – while the crunchy riffs plus steady, slamming rhythm section supportive measures provide plenty of fervor and intensity as a mid-tempo anthem. Closer “Through the Door” is the longest track at almost seven minutes – the doom surge that opens the proceedings has a mix of 70’s Sabbath meets Crowbar textures, bassist Don Watterworth lifting the arrangement with his thick bottom end work, while the back half contains some killer traditional / power transitions and speedy, sophisticated lead break action from guitarist Chris Ciaffaglione. “Vacant” contains some lower, clean narrative vocal parts as well as some industrial/groove overtones against the metal proceedings, drummer Ryan Andrews juggling a natural tempo template with some interesting fills and double kick accents. Competent playing and natural abilities are present overall – at times you just wish that the band would break free of certain ‘conventional’ patterns that can lead to expected outcomes. Be it the sameness in main vocal deliveries that match the musical part a bit too long or specific half-time transitions, it’s those little details that may keep Carried by VI from rising to another level of appreciation beyond the local metalheads.
Metempsychosis has that groove/doom/hardcore mixture down pat to be effective on a variety of metal bills when airing these tunes live.