Back When started out as a fairly standard spazzcore outfit but then went on to incorporate an eclectic range of sounds into their style, coming out on the other side as an atmospheric and experimental collective that transcends the 'metalcore' tag altogether. All I had ever heard from Back When prior to getting their releases on Init was an earlier EP that they released on Imagine It; that disc was frantic, fucking super chaotic, along the lines of early Daughters and grindy screamo outfits but not breaking any new ground. So when I finally spun their later recordings, I was pretty surprised with how immense these songs were, and the range of influences and styles that Back When began to incorporate with their newer material. The Swords Against The Father EP opens with "Exodus, Phobos", and it reminds me of a more chaotic Buried Inside, massive walls of distorted atmosphere and processed feedback, death metal roars intertwining with frantic screams, blastb

eats and epic riffage. The next three songs are from the same EP, and further mix it up: "Examining The Lives Of The After" initally takes form as a brutal deathcore dirge before freaking out completely into spastic fret wankery and then slipping into a punishing bluesy swamp metal riff straight out of Eyehategod;"A Hero's Welcome" is psychedelic tech-core that drops a massive grooving riff right in the middle; and "Sons Against The Father" again combines psychedelic space rock guitars with crushing chaotic blasts.