SONG REVIEW: Contours - A Bird In The Hand, A Knife In The Back

by Jesse Smith

Heavy music is ALIVE and THRIVING! More and more I see insane new up and coming acts that really hit the nail on the head and that’s exactly how I would describe Contours’ new song ‘A Bird In The Hand, A Knife In The Back’. This trio of doom started in 2017 in the great state of Pennsylvania and have been on and off throughout the years with only two releases and a handful of live performances. But, the band is back and is back with a vengeance. Turning up the aggression, this song is nothing but heaviness. So if you’re a fan of Alpha Wolf and Gideon, listen up. 

The song starts with a fast paced but simple synth opening. Something close to what I’ve heard before but it always gets me hyped. It’s like the hi hat/china build up before a breakdown, heard it a million times but everytime it hits. Kicking the song into gear is the AI voice introducing the band, which again has become a staple in modern metalcore but absolutely kills. The opening riff is my favorite part of the song. It has a groove that follows both the drums and the synth but also stands out on its own. Simple and Effective is the name of the game when it comes to being memorable in metalcore. As the track moves along, vocalist Jay Montoya really shows his ability and his vocal range. Sounding more like a deathcore vocalist, Jay takes the aggression and evil up a notch. 

If you’re waiting for singing, you won’t find it here. This song is a straight up ass beater front to back. I’m not sure if they’re next tracks will have singing, but I enjoyed this track exactly how it is. This track felt like it was written to be heavy for the sake of being heavy and for the fans to throw down at shows. Regardless, that synth and riff intro is stuck in my head like a good chorus would be, so I guess for this band it’s a win-win. This is the band's first track of 2024 and I must say, this is how you kick off your year.