Screamo trio Maths have always followed the “blink and you’ll miss it” mantra. On their new ‘The Fires Courting The Sea’ EP – their first release proper since 2009’s ‘Descent’ – Maths cram more brilliance into these fleeting moments than ever before. Coming in at around the ten minute mark, the six tracks on offer take a frantic journey from the chaotic to the serene, and back again.
Perhaps most astoundingly, ‘The Fires Courting The Sea’ never once sounds confused. It revels in its ability to twist and turn, with each two-minute or below track sounding both unexpected and deliberate. Maths demonstrate a masterful understanding of pace, breaking up the intense screams with drawn out experimental melodies and soundscapes.
Diving into a hearty, ferocious attack on ‘Child Wandering Along The Thames’, by the time the record reaches closer ‘Outside The Window’, the vocals have dissipated. ‘The Fires Courting The Sea’ moves rapidly from the barbaric to the blissful, encouraging a repeat journey the moment the instrumentation ends.
This ever-so-slight shift in temperament allows the vocals to experiment in equal measure, with the possessed screams turning to off-kilter growls, complimenting the ominous mood. Testament to the band’s creativity, each moment sounds refreshed despite the overall density of the record.
‘The Fires Courting The Sea’ provides an exhilarating insight into the songwriting prowess of the three men behind Maths. Beautifully intense, and intensely serene, these ten minutes slap you in the face and draw you in for a hug in a single breath. Chaotically considered, Maths are well and truly back on the scene.
BEN TIPPLE