Reviewed by Christian Cunningham

Don't hold the fact that their name is taken from a poignant chapter in the book Watership Down against them, this is some excellently contemporary post-hardcore/hard rock hybrid noise. Described in their PR as being "vulnerable and emotional rock", there is most definitely an element of this in Chad Ackermann's soaring, layered vocals that are really the highlight of what's on show; producer Brian Grider's handling of vocal recording and mastering are a treat. The melodies are clever and catchy with choruses you find singing to yourself when you wake up first thing to last thing at night; third track "Wizard Of Gods" will stay with you all day, including the lyrics "You sleep around therefore I've slept around" giving you an idea of some of the intense lifestyle angst explored by Chapter 14. It's a very Saosin/Alexisonfire style sound but Ackermann can roar with the best of them, as evidenced on the EP's opener "Winter", giving them the option to transition into a metalcore sound to keep it all nicely varied. The instrumentation is all handled by Tanner Sparks, Ackermann's bandmate from Destroy The Runner, and provides a great background to showcase Chad's vocals, with everything from funky bass to metal-guitar chug-chuggery and effects-laden lead guitar work. This EP starts with three very strong tracks followed by two that are not quite to the same standard, which lets down the release overall. This reviewer can't help but feel that, given more time, the band could record a must buy album.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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