Metalcore crew Sunmancer splay ferocious metalcore with thought-provoking storytelling on new EP Everything Falls Apart.
The tracks explore heavy subject matter, from illness and grief to questions surrounding religious morality. But despite the weight of both themes and sonic output, Everything Falls Apart retains an unerring accessibility, with injections of melody punctuated by thunderous percussion and scintillating guitars.
Atlanta metalcore crew Sunmancer have refined a sharp and captivating brand of heavy, since the release of their debut EP.
Formed in 2022 by brothers Kyle and Justin Mazlik and guitarist Jeremy Harlan, Sunmancer released their rookie collection in November 2023. Nothing Ever Happens, produced by the band's now drummer Patrick Snyder, brought the group out of the gates at an impressive pace, their intuitive instrumental cohesion and emotive delivery setting Sunmancer on a bright trajectory.
The band would continue to raise their stock in the southeast with a run of shows and short tours, with notable support slots for August Burns Red and Fuming Mouth soon following.
Sunmancer's comprehensive lexicon of heavy is clear to see. "Chasm Darkly" rivals blast beats with soaring choruses and "Lower Cavalier" cascades emotive hardcore with rapturous death metal. "Realms of Dilemma" offered a thrilling final stop on the EP cycle upon its December release, the band's skull-crushing instrumentation and whip-sharp chemistry heightening the anticipation for the new album.
If the unbridled sonic force of Everything Falls Apart don't thrill you, the gnarly growls of Justin Mazlik certainly will, the gripping vocal offering a window to the soul of the southern quintet.
Thematically the collection delves deep, from childhood trauma and loss to religion and beyond. Indeed, much of the appeal of Sunmancer is their refusal to sugar coat, either lyrically or sonically. With Everything Falls Apart, both elements combine to create a dynamic powerhouse of a collection.