Equinox (EP)

Equinox is a collaborative EP by Australian heavy metal band Northlane and metalcore band In Hearts Wake. It was released on 20 April 2016 through UNFD. It was produced by Will Putney and recorded in January 2016 at Holes and Corners recording studio in Southbank, Victoria, although the drumming was recorded at Sing Sing Recording Studios in South Yarra.[1][2] It peaked at No. 75 on the ARIA Charts.[3]

Equinox
EP by
Northlane and In Hearts Wake
Released20 April 2016
RecordedJanuary 2016
Studio
Genre
Length11:44
LabelUNFD
ProducerWill Putney
Northlane chronology
Node
(2015)		 Equinox
(2016)		 Mesmer
(2017)
In Hearts Wake chronology
Skydancer
(2015)		 Equinox
(2016)		 Ark
(2017)

A limited edition vinyl was released of only 600 copies.[4]

Background and promotion

According to In Hearts Wake guitarist Ben Nairne, a collaboration between the two bands had been in the works since at least 2015, however both band's busy schedules didn't permit them any free time.[2] The extended play was recorded in secret and released without any prior announcement on 20 April 2016. To promote the EP, Northlane and In Hearts Wake co-headlined a tour in June.[1] Supporting them were Hands Like Houses and Ocean Grove.[5]

A music video for the entire EP was released on 19 October.[6]

Writing and composition

In Hearts Wake frontman Jake Taylor described it as a "surprise twelve-minute EP odyssey".[7] Equinox contains messages and themes of environmental preservation and other politically relevant issues. The track "Refuge" concerns the then-current issue of illegal immigration to Australia. "Hologram" describes how communities can be destroyed by people who are controlled by fear.[8] The middle, and title track "Equinox" is an instrumental piece that connects the other two tracks.[9] The extended play's genre has been described as metalcore,[9] post-hardcore[10] and progressive metal.[11]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AAA Backstage[9]
Beat[10]
SpeakerTV8/10[7]

The EP received mostly positive reviews. AAA Backstage rated it positively and said: "Melding their two distinctive heavy sounds together, the new unique sound brings a more aggressive, metal aspect to the bands' sonic products."[9] Jack Ford from SpeakerTV gave the EP an 8 out of 10 saying: "Frontmen-in-crime Marcus Bridge and Jake Taylor unite to create a vocal soundscape that adheres simultaneously to both their styles, and pushes them to unforseen [sic] boundaries whilst also staying true to themselves, as their merry bands of metal misfits take musical depth to staggering new highs."[7] Rod Whitfield from Beat rated it positively, however stated: "I expected a little more than just two songs with two minutes of ambient noise in between."[10]

Alasdair Belling from Howls & Echoes in a positive review said: "The Equinox EP is a fabulous gift to the Australian music scene, and an exciting indication of how far the metalcore community has come since the days of Parkway Drive and I Killed the Prom Queen."[12] Evan Conway from Metal Machine gave it a negative review saying: "The truth about the Equinox EP is that it is uneventful, uninspiring, and unremarkable, no matter how you attempt to describe it."[11]

Track listing

Adapted from Spotify.[13]

All tracks are written by Jake Taylor, Jon Deiley, and Josh Smith

No.TitleLength
1."Refuge"5:07
2."Equinox"2:07
3."Hologram"4:30
Total length:11:44

Personnel
Northlane
  • Marcus Bridge – lead vocals
  • Jon Deiley – lead guitar
  • Josh Smith – rhythm guitar
  • Alex Milovic – bass
  • Nic Pettersen – drums, percussion
In Hearts Wake
  • Jake Taylor – unclean vocals
  • Eaven Dall – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Ben Nairne – rhythm guitar
  • Kyle Erich – bass, clean vocals
  • Conor Ward – drums
Additional personnel
  • Will Putney – production, mixing, mastering

Charts
Chart (2016) Peak
position
Australian Singles (ARIA)[3] 75

References
  1. Wilson, Zanda (20 April 2016). "Northlane & In Hearts Wake Release Surprise Joint EP, 'Equinox'". Music Feeds. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  2. Benjamin, Sophie (20 April 2016). "Exclusive: NORTHLANE + IN HEARTS WAKE // Release 'Equinox' EP today". Hysteria Mag. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  3. Ryan, Gavin (23 April 2016). "ARIA Singles: Gnash 'I Hate U, I Love U' Spends Second Week at No 1". Noise11. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  4. "Equinox - Vinyl". UNFD Central. 20 April 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  5. "Northlane & In Hearts Wake Announce Equinox Australian Tour". UNFD Central. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  6. UNFD (19 October 2016). "Northlane & In Hearts Wake - Equinox [Official Music Video]". Retrieved 2 August 2019 – via YouTube.
  7. Ford, Jack (11 May 2016). "Northlane And In Hearts Wake – Equinox EP". SpeakerTV. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  8. Morton, Luke (21 April 2016). "What's going on with the Northlane x In Hearts Wake EP?". Metal Hammer. Louder Sound. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  9. Muggleton, Sam (23 April 2016). "EP Review: Northlane & In Hearts Wake 'Equinox'". AAA Backstage. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  10. Whitfield, Rod. "Northlane and In Hearts Wake: Equinox". Beat Magazine. Archived from the original on 13 May 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  11. Conway, Evan (20 April 2016). "Northlane & In Hearts Wake Surprise EP Equinox Review". Metal Machine. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  12. Belling, Alasdair (27 April 2016). "REVIEW: Northlane + In Hearts Wake = ?". Howls & Echoes. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  13. "Equinox by Northlane, In Hearts Wake". Spotify. 20 April 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
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