Islander: Violence & Destruction

You know those scenes in the movies where some badass guy is driving a hotted up car, arm out the window with the music pumping? Well Islander’s new album Violence & Destruction would be the soundtrack to that scene.
Islander are relatively new to the nu-metal and alternative scenes, but they’ve already been making waves with big names touting them as the “ones to watch”.
While this may be a “heavier” album there are moments where Mikey Carvajal’s vocals are surprisingly soft, like in ‘The Sadness of Graves’, and you get caught in a moment of awe. But these moments are fleeting and Mikey quickly reverts back, leaving you wanting more of the serene moments.
With hectic guitar and a steady drum beat ‘Cold Speak’ is a standout of the album, though it does follow the tried and tested formula for alternative rock songs. But there’s nothing wrong with that when it’s a surefire hit.
One of the great things is that while Violence & Destruction starts off with a few heavier, and albeit very similar tracks, they prove their versatility in softer songs like ‘Kingdom’ and ‘New Wave’ which show Mikeys’ vocal range. Then there’s standouts ‘Criminals’ and ‘Pains’ that jump to the other range of the spectrum, where the power behind Mikey’s vocal and the thrashing instrumentation are features.
By no surprise the title track is a standout of the album and is a great way to finish off a really intense, destructive yet surprisingly soothing 12-track release.
Out now via Victory Records
Written by Amanda Sherring