FRANK IERO AND THE FUTURE VIOLENCE - HEAVEN IS A PLACE, THIS IS A PLACE EP
Formed as a companion piece to their 2019 full length Barriers, Frank Iero and The Future Violence are back with a two-sided EP, which might just be their best yet.
Coming as a companion to their earlier release, Barriers, Frank Iero and the Future Violents released their newest EP, Heaven is a Place, This is a Place. Songs in this EP have been hinted at throughout music videos in the form of bass drum heads, and now listeners can finally piece them together. This two-sided EP contrasts elements of pain and delicacy, almost as some sort of healing process, which can be drawn from the lyrics in this four track release.
The opening track of this EP, ‘Violence’, starts with a great guitar intro. The song is easy to get up and dance to, as the drums come into play, and Iero’s voice projects into the song. The backing vocals in this track are also a perfect accompaniment to the song and help to add a little more excitement to it. Through both the lyrics and the way Iero projects them, it is easy to hear and feel the pain behind the words as the song progresses.
‘Sewer Wolf’ was released a little before the EP release, and with a strong opening, the bass and drums are accompanied with Iero’s voice before synths are added. The song stays strong throughout, and the screams in this song help to add an even more intense power to it, which listeners can find exciting. ‘Sewer Wolf’ is sure to become a fan favourite.
Covering R.E.M’s ‘Losing my Religion’, Iero discusses recording this as a voice memo demo beforehand with Kayleigh Goldsworthy, who had also joined his band. He goes on to say how the two would bond over their shared love for the eighties American band, even going as far as to say “It felt like magic and that was the moment I was convinced this couldn’t be the only thing we did together.” The cover is the first in the second side of this EP and creates a break from the exciting, fast pace of the rest of the songs, and leaves the listeners with an incredible cover.
The last track, ‘Record Ender’ starts with a mesmerizing synth accompanied by a bass, before the drums and guitar come in. The tones in this are somewhat nostalgic as the bass rings through. The lyrics are accompanied so well with the music, and mixed perfectly. It leaves the listeners with a sense of nostalgia, and is a perfect ending to this record.
This EP, in all, is an incredible release from start to finish. It’s easy to listen to the tracks and picture a story with them, and associate that with the songs. It’s also easy, with this release, to look and relisten and find something new that may not have caught on beforehand, and this EP definitely goes down as one of the best releases yet from Iero.
Alex Davidson
★★★★★