Fear of Loss’s Waves of Pain is a raw and unflinching entry into the world of heavy hardcore, blending death metal-inflected vocals, bludgeoning breakdowns, and politically-charged themes. It's an EP that shows flashes of intensity and promise but also struggles to fully break free from the genre’s more predictable formulas.

From the start, Waves of Pain makes its intentions clear—this is not polished or overly technical hardcore. Instead, the band leans into slow-burning riffs, aggressive pacing, and guttural vocal performances that echo elements of death metal. Their approach is minimalist: open-chord breakdowns, dissonant scaling, and chugging rhythms dominate much of the project. When it works, it hits hard. When it doesn’t, it can feel repetitive and hollow.

The guitar work is heavy but often too uniform across the record. Many of the riffs feel recycled, with similar structures and tones appearing from track to track. While the band does experiment with tempo shifts—especially with moments of groove or faster thrash-like energy—these flashes are too infrequent to build a fully dynamic listening experience. Often, the slower, stripped-back chugs create more emptiness than atmosphere. It feels like the band is trying to build tension, but instead, they drift too far into dead space. A more layered or nuanced production style could have filled those voids with needed grit or grime.

Drums are a standout across the EP, providing a dynamic backbone that’s far more engaging than much of the string work. The snare has a satisfying pop, and the cymbal work adds texture and movement, especially in otherwise sparse sections. The rhythm section often does more heavy lifting than the guitars, keeping the songs from collapsing under their own weight.

Vocally, the band delivers some genuinely compelling moments. The guttural lows have depth and menace, and the delivery throughout the EP feels authentic and emotionally charged. Lyrically, the band clearly has strong convictions. Tracks centered on topics like genocide and Palestinian resistance show a willingness to engage with real-world pain and injustice, lending emotional and political weight to their sound. A well-placed sample in the middle of the EP adds clarity to this message and shows potential for integrating more storytelling elements into future releases.

Still, Waves of Pain suffers from a lack of variety. The songs bleed into one another, and while some have stronger moments—like sharper riffs or more engaging breakdowns—the differences are subtle. It begins to feel like you’re hearing the same ideas repeated with only minor tweaks. For listeners new to this genre, it may hit hard. For seasoned fans, it might come across as underdeveloped or too familiar.

The band shows promise, particularly in their lyrical focus and drum work, but the production and songwriting leave too much open space without purpose. If they can evolve their compositions beyond standard hardcore breakdown formulas and embrace more of the emotional and political urgency their themes suggest, Fear of Loss could carve out a more distinct identity.

As it stands, Waves of Pain is a respectable, if uneven, debut. There’s heart here. There’s anger. And while the execution still needs refinement, there’s a clear foundation being laid for a heavier, more thoughtful future.