Interloper II

Eden Eyes

Riding off the high from opening for last year’s Music Day Out held at *SCAPE on New Year’s Eve as well as two shows in January and February, Eden Eyes, a fresh face in Singapore’s heavy music scene, have just released the second single off their upcoming EP, titled Interloper II. A titular and thematic callback to lyricist and vocalist Russell’s previous project Dog Eater, the single expands upon the sound established in their previous single Gangrene, this time marrying the bone-crushing chugs that fans have grown to love with the introduction of technical yet catchy riffs into their sonic palette. Interloper II, as the title suggests, evokes the figure of the intruder, the unwanted, the uninvited. Its lyrics concern at its core not only the hatred towards, but also the possibility of despair engendered by intrusions of others into what might otherwise be a perfectly peaceful state of one’s life. With intentionally-ambiguous lyrics written such that listeners can generalise them to their own experiences, the single is positioned by frontman Russell as “a diss track for anyone who’s had to deal with people in places where they shouldn’t be, doing what they shouldn’t do”. Inflammatory, infectious and singalong-able callouts such as the song’s opening line “face your fucking self” and its bridge section supplant the vicious energy and angsty indignance that it aims to evoke. Harkening back to earlier material after the release of Eden Eyes’ most recent single Gangrene, Interloper II features more melodic elements, including its headbang-worthy chorus, alongside a signature complex guitar riff involving running notes across the fretboard and tapping, reminiscent of bands such as Wage War and Architects. Its modern metalcore aesthetic is bolstered by elements which by today’s tastes might be considered old-school – a classic thrashy gallop riff and the inclusion of a guitar solo that gives Interloper II a truly unique sonic character amongst Eden Eyes’ ouvre. With additional production and guitar contributions from Islam Falmi from Singaporean death metal act Darah, as well as Coral Liaw from accomplished metalcore quintet Reserate, Interloper II promises a 4-minute affair of unbridled ferocity and riffage that adds a new dimension to Eden Eyes’ sound.