EP Review: Half Me – Opium (Arising Empire)

Riding the high of their recent success of their debut album, ‘Soma’, German metal quintet Half Me will release their new EP, ‘Opium’, on September 27th, 2024, via Arising Empire.

Twelve tracks, twelve bangers, and twelve reasons to pay attention to Half Me.

That was just some of the words we used to sum up Half Me’s debut album, Soma (read our full review here). An album that combined elements of metalcore, post-hardcore, and crossover alternative metal. Which is a sound that Half Me are more than comfortable to build on with this new EP. Kicking off the release with Concrete Ceiling. A track that bristles with furious intensity. Half Me aren’t playing it coy here and this is a vehement slice of heaviness.

It is the early indicator that the creative high Half Me have been on isn’t diminishing in the slightest. Something confirmed with the following Quitter Talk, Nothing Left to Lose but the Chains, and Fatalist. Who doesn’t love a bit of Half Me when they’re in this kind of mood? A mood that smashes and crashes with eye-watering intensity, has layered atmosphere, melodic touches, and impressive bouts of clean singing amongst the predominant scathing ferocity.

You’ll feel well and truly battered by the end. An end that comes in the form of In Denial and one more wild attack of savage heaviness. The garish instrumentals are what stand out here, and it’s fair to call this one of the darker Half Me tracks heard so far.

Is it just me or are they sounding heavier than they did on Soma? Maybe it’s just the focus of the EP, but this is a really intense sounding Half Me and it’s damn good.

Half Me – Opium Track Listing:

1. Concrete Ceiling
2. Quitter Talk
3. Nothing Left to Lose but the Chains
4. Fatalist
5. In Denial

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