Ontario-based Canadian hardcore punk/metalcore band COUNTERPARTS have released a duo of B-sides from their latest "Nothing Left to Love". The band have seen many lineup shifts and changes since their inception in 2007 but remain one of the most visible bands within the contemporary melodic hardcore movement and also considered a prime originator of the revival of metalcore. Released in 2019, the influential group's sixth full-length studio album is the second after the departure of Jess Doreen who left the band leaving vocalist Brendan "B" Murphy as the soul original member. To fill his spot, Blake Hardman joined after filling in on bass in 2014. "Nothing Left To Love" also saw the return of Alex Re on rhythm guitar after Adrian Lee's departure just prior to recording. Filling in on tour in 2012 and 2016, Kyle Brownlee continues on drums/percussion after permanently joining the band just prior to their 2017 Warped Tour appearance.

"Nothing Left To Love" was widely considered another level up in their sound, incorporating influences of metal and doom into an already varying conglomeration of influences. But, the two B-sides released did not seem to fit the vision the band had for the album. Of these newly released pair of tracks frontman Murphy said "One person's trash is another person's treasure...so here's 2 more b-sides I guess? We wrote these songs when we were in the process of recording Nothing Left To Love" and for whatever reason, they just didn't fit the vibe of the album so we decided to cut 'em." He went on to say that since their "The Private Room" short EP - only seven-ish minutes across three tracks - the band figured there was no harm in throwing the fans a bone to occupy 5-10 minutes of their time. In this uncertain time, not knowing when the band may be able to cross the border and all 5 members have the ability to play and record in the same room, Murphy admits, "you might love them, you might think they stink, either way it's all good by me" They're B-sides! Who gives a shit?".

But, just as their 2018 EP was able to do with less time, these two B-Sides are able to capture and beat you down with little effort. "Purer Form of Pain" features Murphy's signature brand of brutal metalcore meets hardcore punk screams with plenty of head-banging chugs from the guitars. But it has a brief, ethereal clean section near the end before grinding back into the brutality. "String of Separation" is slightly faster once it gets through the tentative intro. It also has a bit more of a classical metalcore, singable, majestic chorus. The guitar theatrics are wonderfully circus-like on both tracks owing to both Re and Hardman's brutal approach. Along with Brownlee's precision skinwork and spotless production, it makes for a nice tease of new material until the pandemic mess is over and the band are able to reconvene and/or tour.