The material on the debut EP from Swiss metallers Ophelia’s Eye (2024’s ‘Catharsis’) was played with the confidence of a band with a much bigger body of work to their name. The five tracks blended thrash, metalcore and a pinch of hardcore in a way that made the band sound utterly unshakeable. A few great influences were shared along the way (it was hard to ignore the tones of classic Machine Head on ‘Stay Close, We’re Dying’, but it was also good to hear a potential love for blessthefall and Lamb of God creeping through on other tracks), but no matter what the influence, the material showcased a band who were clearly superb musicians.
2025’s ‘Severance’ really ups the ante in terms of the band’s talents, but also in terms of heaviness in a couple of places. Not least of all during ‘Enter The Arena’, where it’s clear even from the opening bars that Ophelia’s Eye’s music has taken a darker and potentially more dense turn. The opening riffs blend top notch metalcore with a pinch of groove, which instantly makes the band sound like Lamb of God with sharper edges. The body of the track combines pneumatic rhythms with a heavy downtune, creating a great sound that takes their metalcore influences into even heavier realms, and while the vocals appear somewhat abrasive, they aren’t impenetrable. Beneath the jagged sound, a deep bass adds an even heavier element, but the best moments here are supplied during the climax when rattling snares build tension and the band drop into a slower riff which veers further towards a traditional metalcore sound. It’s a great opener since it presents the ultimate in heaviness, but the fact that it does so without moving too far into extreme territory should be applauded.
A brighter sounding twin lead guitar present during ‘Disconnected’ allows for far more of a melody and briefly pushes the band into prog metal territory, but once the drums really kick in, everything reverts to the band’s tried and tested metalcore sound. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing: it really shows off guitarists Noah Peier and Corrine Ryter’s more abrasive talents, and when attacking a jagged riff that sounds like an amped up Lamb of God, they help to provide a perfect backdrop for another of Jan Brasser’s brilliantly furious vocals. The slightly proggy elements make a timely return to fill a tight pre-chorus, but this number’s crowning glory is the chorus itself, where the familiar growling vocals are offset by a clean countermelody, helping Ophelia’s Eye to sound like Fear Factory’s metalcore cousins. Those who’ve journeyed with the band to this point will find an instant favourite here; the extra melodic twists make this not only the EP’s stand out, but also one of the band’s finest tunes overall.
The title track wastes no time in confronting the listener with a brilliantly heavy edge. The initial blast trades in the expected metalcore for a more abrasive and almost industrial sound that’s driven by a pneumatic rhythm. From there, the band plough through a heavy arrangement that owes a small debt to Swedish metal titans In Flames with its combination of heaviness and melody, and the way the abrasive vocal on the verse is contrasted with a cleaner and more modern sound on the chorus lends the punchy arrangement a surprisingly accessible hook. The way a couple of the more aggressive vocals appear to slip into a rhythm more attuned to rap metal and hardcore comes a bigger surprise, but for those who enjoyed the subtle-as-a-brick elements of ‘Enter The Arena’, a much heavier breakdown that’s driven by a massive downtuned sound ensures that Ophelia’s Eye still sound like a band who could go head to head with the fiercest competition when it comes to a great riff. A small piece of criticism here is that ‘Severance’ ends a little too abruptly. The expected climax doesn’t really come; instead, the band opt to cut things off at around the four minute mark, ready to move on and deliver another round of heaviness. That said, this is a track that certainly couldn’t be accused of outstaying its welcome – and it’s a great vehicle for introducing a first time listener to the Swiss band’s brand of contemporary metal.
In one of the most unexpected musical sidesteps, ‘Letters’ begins with a very gothic chord sequence and clean vocal, showing a very different side to the band. It’s clear that when Jan isn’t in full on growl, he has the potential to unleash a huge range, and when harmonising with Corrine, he sounds great. With the focus also on synth sounds for the first part, there’s a glimmer of something in the arrangement that sounds like a goth band covering Alphaville, which is very interesting. Bringing the heaviness for the track’s second half, it’s pleasing to hear the guitarists exploring proggy textures once again, and creating something that might just occasionally help Ophelia’s Eye appeal to a completely different element within the metal community. Rounding out the EP, ‘Worship Decay’ kicks off with a riff that sounds like an homage to a thrash classic, and coupled with a heavy bass drum, signifies something bigger on the horizon. The body of the track brings the expected heaviness with the guitarists driving more of a metalcore riff, but this manages to sound quite different from the bulk of this release by firstly reintroducing more of the hardcore inflected vocals that were teased on the title cut, then by slowing to deliver the king of hardcore breakdowns driven by really dirty guitars. There’s a lot of Ophelia’s Eye’s familiar traits present throughout, but the more groove-laden elements definitely help this to sound like a number that’ll be most effective when delivered in front of a live audience.
As with the band’s previous release, this EP doesn’t always aim to be the most original sounding, but in terms of playing, songwriting, and capturing a sheer presence, Ophelia’s Eye have it all. In a “modern metal” sense, these five songs are absolutely terrific – dark, incredibly heavy, but also with an ear on a great melody when required. Those who enjoyed ‘Catharsis’ will absolutely love this – no question – and those coming to the band for the first time are likely to hear something familiar, but also genuinely impressive. A recommended listen.
November 2025