If you’ve ever wondered what the end of the world sounds like then wonder no more, because this EP gives us the answer. The debut EP from The Beginning And The End has been four years in the making, and certainly a labour of love for creators Matt Jones and Jamie Fraser, but OUROBOROS is finally here. It’s difficult to know what to make of OUROBOROS, it’s sprawling, dark, bleak and in places nigh on impenetrable. It’s a niche record for a niche audience, but even taking that into account, it’s difficult to label OUROBOROS as a success. The production is patchy, with the levels in particular, being very inconsistent. At times, especially on opener ‘Terminal’ the vocal gets lost in the vast expanse of the music which surrounds it. And the issue only serves to highlight how strained the vocal performance is across the whole record. However, the EP is designed to be a polar opposite to the heavily polished and overproduced mainstream, and that’s exactly what it is. It’s stark, raw, and most of all it’s real. There’s an underlying anger to the EP which every so often, just explodes, and the results aren’t always an easy listen. The rough and blood curdling screams which drive ‘Hiraeth’ sound like pure Armageddon. OUROBOROS is not an EP that’s going to trouble the mainstream or metal radio, but then again, its not supposed too. But while you can’t fault The Beginning And The End for being true to themselves, and delivering a record full of emotion and passion, it simply isn’t enough to outweigh what is frankly a lack of quality. Passion and authenticity can only carry you so far, and in the case of OUROBOROS it isn’t quite far enough.
Score: 3/10
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