SINGLE REVIEW: breakk.away – Secret

Author’s Note: Usually for single reviews, I use a photo of the band for the featured photo. However, breakk.away function moreso as a collective of remote musicians, and therefore have no photos of them as a band! I don’t think anyone is particularly bothered by this, but I simply wanted to address the inconsistency – Ryan 🙂

breakk.away caused quite the stir when they hit the scene last year. With a sound not too dissimilar from Sleep Token, they certainly satiated the desire of those who sought more of that genre-flexible metalcore, soaked with mystique and drama. The degree of polish that these tracks presented with was astounding for a new band, and completely baffling when one considered the fact that the members of this band were all students. They were far from flawless, but that didn’t matter; there was something exciting about this outfit, and the raw talent and ambition they possessed.

That feels like it is beginning to come to fruition on this latest track, ‘Secret‘, which sees the band leaning less on their influences, and standing on their own feet with a sound that feels far more distinctly theirs. ‘Secret‘ feels far softer that previous releases, yet no less impactful, smothering the listener with crushing layers of gorgeous, silky vocals, and dense electronic ambience. The vocal delivery is immaculate, perfectly capturing the feeling of loving someone you know you shouldn’t, especially during the stripped-back verse segments.

That’s not to say that there isn’t anything for those who like heavy. The percussion pops with ferocity, whilst the djent-infused guitar riffs punctuate the tracks with moments of electrifying drama, especially as the track explodes with a rapturous breakdown at the climax. The glitching slow-down effects utilised are a brilliant creative decision that gives the breakdown some immense weight, harkening back to that that late 00’s/early 10’s era of metalcore.

There is still plenty of room for growth for breakk.away, and listeners are still yet to see what the band can bring to the live circuit. However, ‘Secret‘ already represents a superb leap forwards for this outfit, truly beginning to establish themselves as more than just their influences. This collection of young yet brilliantly talented musicians may well be the next big thing in metal; get on board now, or risk missing out on what could be an incredible journey.

For Fans Of: Sleep Token, Spiritbox, Bad Omens, Bring Me The Horizon, Periphery

Follow the band on social media below:

Instagram // Spotify // Twitter