Album Review: Walking With Strangers - Buried, Dead And Done

Maybe it’s the band’s aggressive brand of hardcore that does it, or maybe their juvenile attitudes and degrading of women, either way, Walking with Strangers’ debut EP ‘Buried, Dead & Done’ certainly isn't for the faint of heart.

Opener ‘The Provider’ is a lyrical nightmare. With the subject matter essentially being a drunken night out on the pull, you have to question the Swedish 5-piece’s imagination. Chauvinistic attitudes and swearing without cause or effect, the band manage to ruin what is essentially half-decent musicianship with immaturity and a lack of intellect.

Genre conforming breakdowns and deep screams, Title track ‘Buried, Dead and Done’ is probably the pick of the EP, providing a ferocious pace that hardcore junkies will love.

‘Lost’ surprisingly has a powerful and epic feel to it in places, but all too often this is lost to a sea of dull, unimaginative verses that leave you at a loss as to whether you’re still listening to the same song.

Closing track ‘Unforgiving’ mixes clean, sharp riffs with gang vocals and blistering growls, but doesn’t manage to maintain any kind of tempo, constantly leaving you hoping for a climax that never materialises.

Walking with Strangers unoriginal, predictable brand of metal/hardcore does little to impress and isn't going to bring them to our shores any time soon. Based on the attitudes they present, I doubt their Nordic charm will get them much further.

1.5/5

'Buried, Dead And Done' by Walking With Strangers is available now on Snapping Fingers Snapping Necks.

Walking With Strangers on MySpace

Liam McGarry