Riser boasts a harmonious marriage of the best elements of post-rock, post-metal, and post-hardcore – think Cult of Luna doing an album of The Bled covers and you’ll be on the right track. The aggressively assertive vocals kick the door down with an irresistible combination of scorn and style, and behind them looms a ferocious rhythm section complemented superbly by scorching guitars. Somehow, even within this muscular, imposing swirl of sheer force, the band manages to fold in memorable melodies that add a crucial element to the overall impact. In doing so they further demonstrate the absolute control they hold over what presents as an otherwise entirely untamed performance.

From the opening moments of “I See You, You’re On Fire,” there is a provocative spirit that manifests which sets Divided apart from the usual austerity one would expect from post-metal artists. The bass and hi-hat pulsing in tandem during the tense intro harken to the seething volatility of hardcore shows, the kind where audience and artist are virtually face to face, and the space between them could evaporate at any moment. This tireless intensity continues throughout, and can be seen burning brightly as the building tension of “Slumberland”’s intro explodes into its impassioned first verse, during the gutsy climax of “Gnaw,” or on any number of other memorable moments spread over the four songs that comprise the EP.

There’s a pronounced immediacy and tactility on Riser that permeates it with a vigorous, infectious energy that one can’t help but tap into. Once that happens, the lift you feel is irresistible. As it courses through you it’s impossible not to feel transported, to seeing spirited young bands perform in small, sweaty rooms that were all volume and flailing bodies, where control dangled by a thread, where danger and exhilaration intertwined in ways that could never be recreated elsewhere. It doesn’t matter how unknown a band might be; if they’ve proven capable of seizing upon that feeling, they must be provided a platform. That’s the sense we get from Divided, and it’s why we’re so excited to bring them on board with us. It seems like others are picking up on the same things we have; without having officially released their debut yet, the band has already been tapped to perform with artists like Brutus, Psychonaut, and Stake. We’re confident the power that’s already been perceived in them will continue to resonate resoundingly as it reaches more and more ears.

(dunk!records)