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Talbert- From the Dark EP Review
by Daniel C. Morrison
Back in 2012 when Hip Rock Magazine began to do well (right before Facebook ruined all our creative artists lives by making us pay to boost posts) I did a fundraiser for a friend of mine whose apartment caught fire. This is when I met Austin Talbert as he volunteered to perform at the show. Terry Harper, famous promoter in Louisville, KY, helped me secure the venue and other talent volunteered their services such as Joe Riggs, Mentalist, Byron Armstrong AKA The PO E.T. and Lost In Eden, a Hard Rock band with great tunes. And although Lost In Eden’s singer was upset for some reason and hated on me and the magazine, Byron and Austin stood out as lifelong friends. Therefore, when Austin got back into music, especially after being saved by Jesus Christ, I just had to check out the new energy in his music.
From the Dark is the first foray into my ears and brilliantly, his wife, Angela, joined him creating that solid smooth and harsh alteration from Austin and a suave commanding presence from Angela’s vocals. Symphonic Metal (yes like Evanescence) that hits from one song to the next with tried and true rhythmic jabs and deep conviction in the Lord Jesus Christ is what this is all about.
I never considered Austin to be a bad dude but we all have our demons and our own misgivings. To see Austin find such salvation and renewed hope was a treat. To hear his and Angela’s testament in song form is a treat upon a treat!
From The Dark grabs you right away with punchy riffs, rhythm and familiarity. Angela’s vocals is a powerhouse for a symphonic Rock/Metal fan. Calling for someone to save her from herself is a familiar plea we all have.
Fighter invites you to leave your fear behind, turn to the sky and be ready to fight. A commanding performance supports your essence as a person and caught me nodding and agreeing as it pressed on.
Living Sacrifice and Left My Sins For Dead are what you probably expect with this style of music, praising the Lord and finding that peace that such faith and truth brings. Each has its variations in the music that keep it interesting.
End of the Age wraps up the EP with more of that fun symphonic flavor. The musical ideas that change throughout the song kept this one fun throughout. This is meat and potatoes!
All in all, this EP can go two ways. If you listen to it passively you might miss out on the amazing variations in the songs, especially if you find these types of lyrics redundant from one song and artist to another. If this is you, I ask you to give it a concentrated listen.
This is the second way this EP could go. Giving it some honest concentration you’ll find a cast of characters in each song via instruments and vocals that play their parts in role-winning fashion. The change-ups in these are worth your attention. I’m honestly impressed this all comes out of Austin and Angela. Whether it was the radio worthy From the Dark single or the powerful closing act in End of the Age, I found this to be an excellent offering! Merciless drums, melodic vocals switching once in a while tastefully to harshness and back, and fun directions with lead guitars all make this a worthy investment of your time.
To God be the glory and the thanks for this worthy EP. Austin and Angela have a solid offering here. There is no down side here but I do feel some might be turned away from this style of Symphonic Rock/Metal. Although I would rank it at a 12 on the chromatic scale, some might not give it the full attention and would miss out. For this reason, I can understand it being a 9-10. If you’re only going to give this EP 1 chance, I implore you to play both the first song and last song back to back so you can enjoy a full gamut of all the layers this artist is capable of. From the Dark to End of the Age, this EP will remain a 9-12 out of 12 on the chromatic scale.