When a band label themselves as "Modern Metal" it's difficult to know what to expect from them. Metal does not evolve as one entity; it is a shifting, constantly changing body that adapts and reacts to its time and its fans, and comes in hundreds of different forms. Still, if the band brands themselves as Modern Metal then that suggests that they encompass a number of different subgenres into their style, and this is true to an extent.

The first thing that strikes me about the EP is the guitar- the low, menacing groove that reminds me so much of SLIPKNOT's more recent releases. As the first track "As You Bleed" begins, the guitar could easily be confused with the work of Mick Thomson, and this is only exaggerated by the way it fades in with a healthy dose of heavy-handed production that, while not subtle, fits the style of music with its confidence.

The vocal style comes across as something like less intelligible KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, which, while being a good thing in many ways, also draws attention to how difficult it is to make out what Peter Tuthill is so angry about. In fairness the band's native country is Sweden, so it's hardly fair to expect their English to be as understandable as a band like the aforementioned, but it's likely that lyrics aren't at the front of DESPITE's priorities as the heavy harmonies and death screams seem to hint more at raw, animalistic aggression.

Ironically, the track "Unexceptional" is one of the better on the EP as it flirts with Eastern influences towards the end with a number of exotic instruments being used briefly before the brutal vocals and thundering drums take over for the outro. The previous track, "Awakening" however, turns out to be the unexceptional one as it is hard to find much to say about it other than it is essentially a barebones version of the other tracks, with a less catchy riff.

"Give Me Life" is possibly the most enjoyable song, as the vocals and guitar work together to produce a rhythm that's easy to move to, while still delivering on the regular tempo changes and a decent amount of synth, particularly towards the end. "Sanctum Falls" contains the most tempo changes; starting off very slow and heavy before speeding up for the midsection and slowing down again before the outro, during which the vocals become very harsh and dynamic.

"EPic" is a release whose length is easy to understand, as its strengths would quickly become repetitive if applied to many more songs than are presented here. Its influences are fairly clear, and it is certainly a decent enough collection, it's just difficult to see much about it that makes it an essential purchase. It just doesn't offer much that you can't find in a number of other bands' work, but if you're already a fan of the band then you should be satisfied with what's here.