Coming from ATTACK ATTACK!, drummer Andrew Wetzel, along with ex-STRANGER TO WOLVES singer Chris Parketny, ex LIFE ON REPEAT guitarist Andrew Baylis and bassist Devon Voisine and former DOWNPLAY guitarist Evan McKeever, founded NINE SHRINES, a collective from Ohio, standing in between metal and alt rock. Gathering all of their experiences in the scene, NINE SHRINES put together personal lyrics, catchy melodies, chorus refrains, some electronic inserts, laced all of this with some sort of melancholy and released this 5 tracks EP 'Misery', recorded via Mascot Records.

EP starts off on the right foot with 'Bend', which, after a spooky open intro is able to blow the listener with a proper mix of harsh and clean voice, along with a catchy tune. Single 'King of Mercy' has more of a Metalcore setting and soul, with choruses alternated to heavy riffs. Ever moving 'Parasite' contains both slower sections and heavy riffs burst, with Chris clean vocals leading the listener on a more reflexive path, before bursting into an appealing chorus in the end, which will catch you and make you stand up singing along. 'Lost' is a crescendo: starting with clean 'vulnerable' vocals (in a STONE SOUR's Corey Taylor kind of way) pace speeds up with the drum insertion, adding up to the slow guitars: after having shown a softer side, the band engages the listener into a steaming chorus.

Aggressive rocker and title track 'Misery' closes the EP, showing faint electronics properly play along with powerful riffs, beating bass and the occasional harsh vocals bursts. Although just an 18 minute long taste of what NINE SHRINES may have set aside for us, this 'Misery' is a promising and smart effort, born from the previous involvements of these clearly well experienced musicians. While originality may not be their strongest side, 'Misery' shows an interesting full range of capabilities and potential for the future of this band.