Right, my metal petals, we have some relative noobs to check out this time! Where The Skeletons Play were formed in early 2011 by two gentlemen named Stitch and Bones, who have the very bold aim of “help(ing) bring the UK music scene back to a standard we can all be proud of”. With the quality of rock and metal acts across the country as insanely high as it is right now, one cannot quite be sure why anyone wouldn’t be proud already, but let us humour this enigmatic pair.

So what is it that the Bristolian duo does that should make us so proud? To be honest, many listens later, I’m still struggling to be sure. Don’t think for a minute that they’re in for a slagging as they’re far from duff, but you have to be really sure when you’re making such grandiose statements that you’re able to back them up. ‘The Ghosts On The Frontline’ is one of those atmospheric intro pieces, acoustic guitar and sparse piano laying down a sombre foundation before the electrics slowly fade in. Contrary to post-metal acts such as Cult of Luna who utilise the long and suspenseful build-up to deliver a devastating climax, this piece merely builds in volume rather than intensity and ultimately leaves you wondering “was that it?”

‘Never Born A Criminal’ grimly ponders the state of today’s youth, reminding the listener that nobody is born to loot and riot and that it might be down to the society they’re growing up in; a reproachful chorus segues into a short spoken-word section, an increasingly frantic tirade and a wrenching shriek as the noise lurches back in. The duo’s Placebo influence is particularly prominent here, Stitch’s vocals possessing a pessimistic Brian Molko-esque snarl as he accuses an unnamed critic of merely blaming everything on the young, but mercifully without the guyliner-smeared sex dwarf’s grating nasal twang. ‘When The World Was In Black And White’ also has a nice little punch to it, moving between the intricate bleakness of their heroes Tool and a powerful chorus riff. The unchanging quiet-loud-quiet dynamic does drag slightly throughout the song’s six-minute duration but it’s one of those pieces you can imagine being quite compelling in a live environment. In fact, on a purely personal level, this entire EP reminds me of nipping to Exeter Cavern – my old local, dontcha know – to watch maybe two or three achingly cool youngsters in Mogwai shirts make a colossal noise with the array of pedals around their feet!

That said, though, such gigs were always enhanced by the pound-a-bottle Carlsbergs which would facilitate the ability to simply stare and listen, and a lot of Generation Wars will only work if you’re in ‘full immersion’ mode already. ’41526 004′ is one of those tracks, because it doesn’t unleash any great surprises. It’s full of haunting atmospherics and more grim spoken word but there’s still a long 3-and-a-half-minutes until you hear the all-enveloping riff that eventually closes the track a minute or so later. The lead guitar which eventually cuts through the soft atmospherics out of nowhere in ‘At Your Epicenter’ doesn’t manifest until just before 2:40, plunging the listener into a post-rock dreamscape reminiscent of Explosions in the Sky (another of the band’s big influences) and Caspian. The piece even punks up very, very briefly but all too soon it fades out into more ambience before quietly and discreetly coming to a close.

And this is what I suspect will polarise listeners the most about Generation Wars. Those with a taste for post-rock and similar genres will instantly lose themselves in the ambience but some – particularly post-metal fans used to the high-and-low dynamic – may find themselves a little disappointed by the lack of real wallop in each track. It’s definitely not a bad EP, especially from a band who have only been functioning for over a year and a half, but considering the scathing approach to subject matter it never really grabs the listener by the throat. Now if they could come out from the studio and maybe amass a couple of extra members, a good, intense live performance might be just the thing to change that!

Where The Skeletons Play Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WhereTheSkeletonsPlay