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COLOUR & SHADE: Hostile Grounds | EP Review

Back again reviewing more from Colour & Shade, because this Melbourne band is as golden as their new EP Hostile Grounds. With fun cover art and dynamic contrasting music style, no wonder this band is called Colour & Shade, as they melt styles from bouncy punk rock to a touch of metal in their latest work.



Phoenix, Therapy and Equilibrium had previously been released off the EP as singles prior to dropping the full ‘Hostile Grounds’ EP earlier this month. But, let’s crack into reviewing the EP as a whole, full, majestic masterpiece. Here we go…


First off, that cover art is fun AF! It’s like a specialised style mix of The Simpson’s and Land Before Time ([laughs] I know it sounds kind of ridiculous, but legitimately this is what I saw in the style), it’s very nostalgic and cartoony. The cover art matches the band’s personality within their music with a strong sense of contrast, the light/bright colours and fun style mixed with some dark-purple creepy trees and abandoned landscape. Good choice Colour & Shade!


The EP is made up of 5 tracks, and the full EP has an upbeat bouncy tune across it, as well as vocal contrasting. I absolutely love the dual vocal presence in Colour & Shade, it makes up part of the band’s diversity and expands on their musical abilities. Vocally, the band sounds a bit like The Amity Affliction, in the way that the screamer and non-screamer vocalists play and bounce off eachother.


I still really love the community spirit and chant in the third verse of Equilibrium, it feels like an empowering and uplifting song. For the full Moody Music in-depth review of Equilibrium right here.


Rest is the mellow/ more acoustic track on the EP, it involves delicate guitar work and has a smooth slam-poetry vibe, crowds could 100% do some crowd finger snapping during shows. I like when bands have a softer song on their EP’s and albums, it gives an opportunity for the diversity of skills for bands to show off. Yeah we can punk-core scream, but also whisper sweet nothings, and then go back to punk-core screaming.


My favourite track of the EP has to be Canvas, this song sounds like stars glistening, it’s soo pretty! The song almost starts with a dreamy lullaby sequence, before again Colour & Shade continuing with their contrasting theme and the song breaks into a Bloom-like melody of anger and screaming.


The EP is a banger, start to finish, it’s an easy listen as well, and very mood-dynamic. There’s bounce, anger, energy, smoothness, and a touch of peace.


COLOUR & SHADE social media

FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/colourandshade

INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/colourandshade/

SPOTIFY https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Kp0fg86lfOzSBpM3CafS8?si=vfNFeT5qQcW8hwIsogwzaA&dl_branch=1


COLOUR & SHADE EP Launch Tour Dates

With support from: The Motion below, Vermont, and Everlyne

MELBOURNE/ Thursday 8th July/ The Workers Club


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