EP Review: Ophanim – Do Not Feed the Animals (Self Released)

Ophanim, the Scottish two-piece extreme prog metal fusion will release their brand-new EP, ‘Do Not Feed the Animals’ on February 10th, 2024.

Scotland sure does produce some great metal music, and Ophanim are here to ensure that continues to be the case with this new EP. Doing so by delivering four uniquely challenging slices of progressive extreme music that is both fascinating and confusing. Their style is non-conventional, and it results in some odd musical constructs. The requirement here is to be open-minded, and even then, it’s going to challenge.

There’s no faulting Ophanim’s creativity, and the fact that they have managed to fuse genuine progressive ideas into an extreme metal soundscape, is well-worthy of praise.

That being said, it’s a mentally taxing release, and it’s only four tracks long. Each is packed with so many twists and turns, instruments wandering in almost lost ways, vocals that are screeched out, and pacing that is all over the f**king place. It’s the sound of insanity, but credit to Ophanim, they create sense out of the disorder.

Four tracks, each as compelling as the other, each with a hearty amount of extreme imagination, and each with progressive flair that showcases a band with talents above and beyond initial expectations. Do Not Feed the Animals leaves an impression, it just might not be the same impression that everyone gets.

Ophanim – Do Not Feed the Animals Track Listing:

1. Chimera
2. Psycho Stag
3. Rats
4. Fenrir’s Bind

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