From Bandcamp, “CITIZEND is a duo whom has come together with a common vision to break barriers between classical genre descriptions. With ”The Spiral,” CITIZEND sets the stage for a mesmerizing exploration of sound, narrative, and emotion. CITIZEND draws inspiration from a wide mix of genres and artists, where Americana and grunge boldly meet post-rock, stoner, and metal.” The album has five songs. “The Beginning” is first. Solemn piano notes lead off the song, followed by some strings. The song is so delicate, it might break into bits before your eyes. It drags on with a simple melody that is so effective at making someone feel cold, and melancholy.

“Down” has much heavier tones, and that sense of impending Doom is amplified. The vocals are smooth, low, and the song has a bit of a swing. Mind you, it’s a depressive swing, like the kind of letdown that you have following something really great, but it’s a swing nonetheless. “Grinding Bones” is a song where you can actually hear someone’s bones grinding under the weight of something massive. With reach rhythm guitar, bass strike, and powerful hit of drums, more and more pieces are broken free. “Drowning” is the arduous process of death by swallowing too much water, and it’s a death that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. The tones are smooth and very melancholy, and the vocals are sung in a “matter of fact” style.

“The End of the World” closes the EP. The phrase is prophetic, but if this is the way I am going out, I am OK with that. I picture sitting in my shack on the edge of the frontier in the 1880,s and one thing disappearing after another, until there is nothing left. There is no pain, and no anguish. Things just stop, and go black. Admittedly, it was hard to gain a full scope of the band of their music through only five songs, but I think I got the general gist of things. There are all of the elements that the band mentioned in their biography, and they are blended well. I also like that there is a bit of mystery to the album as well, almost like you aren’t getting the full story.