EP Review: Internal Conflict – Nothing is Lost (Self Released)

Internal Conflict craft an aggressive art, delivering heart forged in anger. Taking in influences from all corners of rock and metal.

Internal Conflict released their album ‘The Rising Tide’ in 2015 and shared the stage with some of the very best bands and promoters that the British underground has to offer. The bands latest release ‘Nothing Is Lost’ will be released on the 19th October 2018. Then they plan to hit the road hard as well as writing material for a second full album.

A few obstacles, mainly family illness and line-up changes has meant that IC have only gigged a little in 2018. Despite this adversity, Internal Conflict have still found the time to write and self-record the long-awaited EP entitled ‘Nothing Is Lost’. As for line-up changes, last drummer Dan Robbins left the band on good term. He helped them in their search to find a replacement. And that’s where Chris Bentley, formerly of the band Beholder, comes in.

The band explain: “It’s a familiar story with Internal Conflict in recent years, that we have had to stand firm in the face of adversity. Serious family illness and a change in personnel has caused us to take a back seat from gigging and most of the aspects of being in a band, so that we can focus on the more important things in life. But we are heading back, with a new vigour and desire which inspires us to create art in this fucked up world that we head into. ‘Nothing Is Lost’ is the first step in a new chapter in our lives, and it comes through in our music.”

An ambitious opener, the title track’s sweet melody lasts for over 8 minutes. It’s an unexpected start and might be a bit off-putting. Stick with the EP though as it erupts into feral hardcore groove and metalcore rhythm with Catharsis. Giving it everything they’ve got, there is no concern that the time off the road has dampened the band’s fire in anyway.

What’s quite amazing about this EP is that Internal Conflict are able to sustain such a hefty style metal for the run time. The riffs are huge, the drumming is intense and the clean/dirty vocal style reigns supreme.

Happily, Internal Conflict don’t waste all their energy on Catharsis. Delivering deeply memorable tracks after with For the Crows and Your Bones Will Fail. Each track brings a meaty level of metal that also has a certain amount of catchiness to it. The breakdown on the former is enough to crack skulls.

As quickly as that, it is over. Nothing Will Past closes things out with yet more melody. Only a couple of minutes long this time though. It’s nice and bookends the EP well. It would only be a problem if the three middle tracks weren’t so impressive.

Internal Conflict – Nothing is Lost Full Track Listing:

1. Nothing is Lost
2. Catharsis
3. For the Crows
4. Your Bones Will Fail
5. Nothing Will Past

You can pick up Catharsis now over on Bandcamp and keep up with news by liking Internal Conflict’s Facebook Page.