Besides setting the world on fire in a myriad of ways, literal and metaphorical, the first half of the whimpering 20s have exacted their toll on the literal roar of some darlings of the UK's (alternative) metal scene. Recent swings of the scythe of circumstance took from us Ithaca (fucking RIP) and Svalbard, while last year marked the end for Palm Reader, but The hardest blow for me personally was probably Black Peaks calling it quits in 2021. Proving once more that ashes make for fertile ground, this merciless slash and burn tactic led to the formation of scrappy upstarts Vower—a proggy, post-hardcore-leaning alt-metal band, comprised of vocalist Josh McKeown from Palm Reader, guitarist Joe Gosney and drummer Liam Kearley from Black Peaks, guitarist Rabea Massaad from Toska, (who also threw in the towel in 2021, although I never listened to them and bassist Rory McLean filling out the roster. I’ve been following Vower since the drop of their first single, and am generally quite enamored with everything they’ve put out so far, but the question remains if they can fill the void left by these scene darlings, or if the steel-toed kickers left behind leave too much wiggle room.
Previous releases were condensed in 2024’s Apricity EP, and Vower have chosen to stick to a similar formula here—releasing most tracks as singles and then bundling everything together into a bite-sized release with a couple of fresh tracks. I’m generally not a fan of this formula, but it seems Vower (and/or their label) see the need to accommodate the short attention spans and overstimulated ears of their audience, and—after having to put down their prior bands, who followed a more traditional album structure—who are we to fault them for that? The sharp, hit and run release schedule also fits the musical direction Vower take. Their songwriting is more streamlined than Black Peaks or Palm Reader, cutting out atmospheric sections and slower builds for back to back hooks and a somewhat more formulaic approach to songwriting. That is not to say this is boilerplate or poppy: there is more than enough brawn and brain here to call Vower both firmly progressive and defiantly and definitively metal.
The six songs on offer here range from four to six minutes in length and feature juxtapositions between melodic builds that bring to mind their progenitor bands as well as Karnivool, Soen and Hippotraktor, climaxing in mathy, post-metal meltdowns ready to realign the spine. Previously unreleased opener “Dawn in Me” engages me the least of what’s on offer here, being saved by the inimitable, chameleonic vocals performance of Mckeown, who switches between affective, cleans, acerbic highs and a powerful roar on the drop of a dime, and hearing him soar through these transitions between different vocal styles with flying colors offers some of the best moments on the song and the album as a whole. Of the two yet unreleased tracks, closer “Serpent”is the decided winner. After a more pensive, atmospheric build akin to the opener, this track really breaks loose with a vicious, screeching climax that gets the blood flowing and exposes the incisors in the victorious climax of a short release, before soaring off into the distance.
The cool opening drum pattern on “Dawn In me” aside, it’s on the satisfying, Karnivool-esque squeal and crunch of “Deadweight” that Vower start picking up steam, even if the chorus somewhat fails to capitalize on the gritty verse with a perfect payoff. Everything really starts to coalesce on "Stuck" though, with McKeown once again stretching the limits of his bungee-cord like vocal chords for a performance that nails both the gravel and the grandeur, and a chorus that has been appropriately stuck in my head for a week now. The EP's centerpiece and most atmospheric offering, “Moth Becomes The Flame” hearkens close to the heyday of Palm Reader and Black Peaks, opening on a moody intro before drums and bass lead whip up a powerful drive and work towards a powerful climax. This track shows Vower at their heaviest and their most vulnerable, and when the gorgeous Soen-orous clean section sparks into a winged blaze, around the three-and-a-half-minute mark, the results are both anthemic and arresting. Fifth track “Satellites” offers another short, riffy bruiser elevated by great vocals. The song is both mathy and crunchy while remaining approachable in a great but somewhat formulaic fashion.
Vower burn hot, short and magnesium-bright on A Storm Lined With Silver—knocking out criticism with short, punchy and brawny tracks that still show their cerebral side enough to appeal to the prog crowd. I hope they retain their edge while giving their songcraft a bit more time to breathe on a hopefully forthcoming full-length. For now though, they remain poised to melt down the crowns of their forebears and forge a shining new star of the scene.