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Time Of Cholera's debut full-length, The Sun Through Glass, was an independent, self-released record that surprised a lot of people. While the album's strongly melodic twist on contemporary metal and hardcore wasn't anything innovative, their approach was more ambitious than that of other, similar bands, they actually created competent melodies, and they had the chops to play authentic, ferocious metal and hardcore. The album was above average -- it seemed to attract fans of any genre Time Of Cholera managed to explore. That's not usually the case.
Since the release of The Sun Through Glass, the band has shaved "Love In The" off the front of their name and, most recently, unleashed a five-song EP, Collapse Of The Forsaken. The passing time apparently brought this five-piece to both more intense and more experimental grounds. Rather than mesh catchy melodies and metal in every song, Time Of Cholera tends to burst with all-out, metallic vigor and counter the explosions with calm, instrumental ambience, lurching tempos and steady build-ups.
While the opening song, "Collapse Of The Forsaken," indicates an abrasive, bent-on-speed-and-chugs approach and "Devourer" is a dissonant, frenzied song, "White Sand" introduces the band's calmer, markedly gloomier side. At almost five minutes in length, the ambient, instrumental tone is soothing, especially because it's book-ended by raging noise. "Fully Collapsed (Collapsed and Expanded)," which clocks in at almost eight minutes, closes Collapse Of The Forsaken after slow, plodding beats, lush electronics and atmospheric guitar strumming rhythmically blossom in intensity for the song's length.
Collapse Of The Forsaken is just five songs and 28 minutes long, but it's a full-fledged effort. The entire album flows like a river -- there are several rocky, bumpy spots, but they eventually slow down and naturally lead to smoother waters. I'm pleased with Time Of Cholera's experimentation and anticipate even more out of a full-length.
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