EP REVIEW: rozemary- it’s harder now to breathe

‘…every fibre of your being will be filled with an undeniable belief that rozemary are going to be massive…’

Merseyside metalcore five-piece rozemary have been tearing up stages across the north since 2023, and have found themselves to be a firm favourite for those in the know. Embracing the very foundational concept of the genre, the band merge hardcore ruthlessness with metal’s theatrical complexity to create something far greater than the sum of its parts.

The band’s debut EP, ‘the lies they made me believe’, showcased compelling and emotive songwriting, wickedly crafted riffs, and a brilliant understanding of momentum, throwing listeners about with thunderous aggression. It made for a fantastic introduction into the world of rozemary, so understandably expectations were high for their sophomore effort.

Flowing seamlessly from track to track, ‘it’s harder now to breathe’ is sculpted less like a standard EP, offering a small collection of varied ideas, and more so like a mini-album, self-contained and cohesive. The resulting experience hits you like a freight train from the opening seconds, and simply refuses to let up in intensity or momentum; even during the softer moments, rozemary’s emotional potency remains staggeringly, viscerally engaging.

‘bleed me dry’ sets the pace perfectly, screeching guitars rising up from nu-metal grooves, held aloft by a genuinely phenomenal performance from drummer Shay Toole. ‘anguish’ brings Parisian hardcore outfit Calcine on board for a nightmarishly good collaboration. The momentum is relentless, aggressive thundering through riffs that almost feel a little tech-metal in nature, dancing unpredictably across the fretboard.

Across the EP, Izabel Lavin continues to cement her position as one of the most exciting vocalists emerging within the heavy scene. ‘i won’t change…’ sees her effortlessly alternate between ethereal murmurs, piercing screams, and impassioned bellows, set against a moody, gaze-toned backdrop that unfurls with cinematic expansiveness. Companion piece ‘…if i don’t try’ sees the band unexpectedly taking things in a subdued, acoustic direction, but it works wonderfully, with Lavin’s emotive songwriting and delivery really showing it’s undoubted strength.

‘the lies they made me believe’ was an incredibly strong debut EP, and it was hard not to believe it would be difficult for the band to one-up so quickly. Yet with ‘it’s harder now to breathe’, they haven’t simply bettered themselves, but offered a record that surpasses a solid majority of what metalcore has already offered this year, from bands tens to hundreds of times their size. By the dying moments of the monolithic closing cut ‘no flowers bloom’, you cannot resist becoming a believer.

It already felt likely that rozemary were destined for big things, but with this release, it now feels all but guaranteed; it may take a year, five years, or maybe even ten, but after listening, every fibre of your being will be filled with an undeniable belief that rozemary are going to be massive.

Craig Reynolds was overrated anyway.

RATING: 88/100

For Fans Of: Love Rarely, Harm, Dying Wish, Spiritbox, Dreamwell

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