Every once in a while a music fan gets to have the great, rare pleasure of saying “I liked them before everyone found out about them”. I am predicting that within the next year or two I will be saying that here because Napoleon’s new four track EP is proof that they are the next big thing.

Napoleon are a four piece from Exeter who blend all the best parts of metalcore and hardcore into a sound that is completely their own. The band break the mould by only having the one guitarist meaning the riffs usually reserved for rhythm guitars are filled by the bass, which as a bassist I appreciate a lot, whilst the guitarist lays down some seriously awesome, complicated riffs. This makes for a less noisy more music experience which is gratifying and satisfying all at the same time.

Title track What We See is a fast technical song. Lead singer Josh Baker’s vocals remind me of Loz from While She Sleeps; however Loz’s vocals sound finely crafted and a little fake whilst Baker’s vocals are unhinged and genuine. Lead guitarist Samuel Osborn lays down some seriously awesome technical riffs throughout the track whilst bassist Christopher Adams and drummer James Mendoza keep the track heavy. Second track Bearing Loss has a slow intro with Mendoza playing a symbol heavy drum beat whilst Osborn plays a slow guitar solo. Again Baker and Adams bring the heavy, never letting you doubt the genre.

Third track Liars and Seller is where the blend of genres is more apparent. The guitar and drums play metalcore whilst vocals and bass are playing hardcore. Like Last Witness the blend works perfectly, as though the genres were made for each other. Final track The World Outside sounds like an Architects track at first. It’s fast, heavy, technical and the vocals even sound a little like Architects lead singer Sam Carter. The track features a guest spot from Liferuiner lead singer Jonny OC who brings the hardcore whilst Baker brings the metalcore. The guest spot is impressive due to the size of Liferuiner’s popularity and only makes me think more that this band is destined for better things.

I give the EP 8 out of 10 as it’s a solid debut from a band that have great things in their future. I can’t wait to see them in a music magazine in the near future and tell myself “I told you so”.

For fans of: Last Witness, Architects, Liferuiner

Download: The EP as it’s free.