With SikTh making their hotly-anticipated recorded return in a matter of weeks, it seems as though other tech-metal bands are unable to get a look in at the minute. That hasn’t stopped Berkshire quintet This Is Shark Country from trying on their new EP ‘Chances’ though.

And fair play to them, they definitely give it a good go. It’s a bit less complex than a lot of what their genre puts out, replacing some of the more intricate polyrhythms with a definite hardcore influence, especially in frontman Oli Cole’s coarse vocals.

The end result is four tracks of perfectly decent metal that manages to push the envelope ever so slightly while still remaining firmly in its comfort zone. The melodic hardcore paint-job given to the title track is a pleasant change of pace for a genre that’s usually desperately calling out for one, while ‘Ghosting’ and ‘Forever In Waiting’ are bound to get more than a few bodies flying at live shows.

In terms of first steps, ‘Chances’ is certainly promising for This Is Shark Country and definitely shows promise for the future. Maybe there’s a bit of room to elbow into SikTh’s limelight then.

4/5

‘Chances’ by This Is Shark Country is released on 13th November.

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Words by Luke Nuttall(@nuttall_luke)