Good hardcore bands from the UK are a rare occurrence. Dead Swans, however, are one of the few exceptions. With a heavy melodic sound and powerful vocals from Nicholas Worthington, the band is able to pull themselves out of the realm of mediocrity. Anxiety and Everything Else is the first since Sleepwalkers three years ago, and does a good job of holding its own.
The EP sets itself apart from their other works by having an excellent blend of powerful, hectic music and satisfying interludes. The first track, “I’ve Been Trying to Leave,” starts off the EP with an incredible amount of energy that really grabs the listener. Other songs like “Keep Them Shut” and “You Can Only Blame Yourself” show the band's melodic prowess with heavy interludes carried by strong vocals. The song “Summer of Hate” has a very good mix of this fast and slow, and as a result is one of the strongest tracks on the album. While it has the ability to stand its own ground, the EP fails to do anything original within the genre.
Overall, fans of Dead Swans will be very happy with this release and newcomers who are fans of melodic hardcore will definitely enjoy it. After years of being dormant it’s good to see them active again. It’s the same old Dead Swans you know and love with a little more. What this EP lacks in originality, it makes up for it by keeping the music tight to the genre.
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