''Pains.'' is the second EP by American rock band Islander. The EP features H.R. of

Bad Brains Bad Brains are an American rock band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1976. Originally a jazz fusion band under the name Mind Power, they are widely regarded as pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members have objected to the use of this ...

. The EP has been compared with P.O.D.'s '' Murdered Love'' and

Korn Korn (stylized as KoЯn, or occasionally KoRn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band is notable for pioneering the nu metal genre and bringing it into the mainstream. Originally formed in 1993 b ...

's debut album.

Critical reception

Nathaniel Lay writes: "''Pains.'' is edgy, destructive, and somehow smooth despite its ripping instrumental work and cracking vocals. When all is said and done, the EP serves as a great label debut that will easily make listeners want to keep an eye out for Islander’s forthcoming LP." Graham Finney reports "At the moment, the four tracks dished up are enough to give fans a taster of what this band are about and, while it's not the most original piece of work you're ever likely to hear, if you're a fan of

Rage Against the Machine Rage Against the Machine (often abbreviated as RATM or shortened to simply Rage) is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commer ...

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, or

, then you'll get value for your money should you choose to shell out on this EP. For me though, while it's nice to hear Islander paying homage to their influences on ''Pains'', it'll be nice to hear them experiment a bit more with their own ideas and really open up their wings for future releases." Chelc Eaves stated "Among these tracks lies a song featuring H.R. (Human Rights), lead singer of the hardcore punk band

, and it’s a solid pairing. With the release of their new EP, Islander also made time to shoot a video for their song “New Colors,” which they shot, directed and edited in its entirety. These days, it's refreshing to see a band come out with hard work and drive, go the distance to do everything for themselves and end up with a great formula and booming music." Reggie Edwards writes "If people do that to Islander, we may lose a band who has great potential, so listen up. Their debut EP, Pains., opens with “New Colors,” a track that's reminiscent of P.O.D. meets

with a little Norma Jean or The Chariot sprinkled in for fun. Take that and add the next track, “Lucky Rabbit,” which features H.R. of

and you've got one extreme song that will blow your mind coming from a new band. With the final two tracks, “Glass” and “Big Shot,” you've got an EP that will make you wish it was a full-length. This band has all the makings of being one of the next big things and in a music world where touring is the new way to make your living, Islander has what it takes. Look for them to not go anywhere anytime soon. In fact, if you see them on some big tours in the near future (

Warped Tour The Warped Tour was a traveling rock tour that toured the United States plus three or four stops in Canada annually each summer from 1995 until 2019. It was the largest traveling music festival in the United States and the longest-running touri ...

), don't be surprised." "The last song on this EP is "Big Shot", which really is a vehicle to highlight the musical ability of this band. To quote Sonny Sandoval of P.O.D.: "New school band with old school soul and passion". This is like opening a fresh cold soda on a really hot day, refreshing. I look forward to seeing a lot more of these guys in the future." states David Kemp.

Track listing

Credits

Islander * Mikey Carvajal -

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or witho ...

* Chris Doot -

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gu ...

* Andrew Murphy -

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected string ...

* Eric Frazier -

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair of matching drumsticks ...

Additional Musicians * H.R. (

) - vocals on track 2

References

{{Reflist 2013 EPs Islander (band) EPs Victory Records EPs