Better Lovers
God Made Me an Animal


4.2
excellent

Review

by Tyler White STAFF
July 7th, 2023 | 789 replies


Release Date: 07/07/2023 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Like a metal marriage of divorcees

Disbandment sucks. It sucks even more when the bands in question are powerhouses, leaving behind their discographies and their fans with a longing for more. First with The Dillinger Escape Plan in 2017, then Every Time I Die in 2022, watching these two split was heartbreaking as we lost two iconic bands in the metal scene. Reunions, on the other hand, are exciting. Seeing a band you once thought was gone forever return to their scene is a joyful experience; a hope and longing fulfilled. Although Better Lovers isn’t a reunion of a band per se, it is a reunion of forces; with the instrumental framework of Every Time I Die (and Will Putney), and vocals from Greg Puciato, God Made Me An Animal brings these metal experts together for an intense 15-minute journey into pure chaos.

“Sacrificial Participant” wastes no time, jumping straight into a driving groove filled with intricate riffing and gritty vocals that set a blistering pace for the EP. Amidst the aggression and heaviness, the track explodes into a captivating clean chorus that accentuates not only Greg Puciato’s vocals but also the instrumental capabilities of melodic chord progressions and lofty guitar leads that showcase a different songwriting side of the band. “30 Under 13” and “Become So Small” push aside the melodies of the opener and opt for a relentless intensity. Shifting between speedily riffed sections and grooves that are simultaneously aggressive and catchy, the two highlight the raw heaviness of God Made Me An Animal with dissonant progressions and chugged chromatic chords amplified by the gritty hardcore production. The eponymous closer dives head first into a southern metal tinge that goes from 0 to 60 in no time. Much like the opener, “God Made Me An Animal” brings in a hint of melody with a bridge filled with soaring clean vocals and harmonies of guitar leads, only to lead back into a conclusion of blistering riffs and intense rhythm. With the title track, Better Lovers continues to display their chaos yet shows their melodic sensibilities that highlight a rich side to their songwriting.

Although short in length, Better Lovers’ debut EP gives a taste of what fans have been missing. With Greg Puciato’s multi-faceted vocals and Every Time I Die’s raw instrumentation, God Made Me An Animal captures the powerful aggression that has been missing in metal since the two disbanded. While it may not be a complete reunion, Better Lovers reunites some of the most talented musicians for another display of intensity. With the likelihood of either band reuniting being almost impossible, Better Lovers may be the next best thing. Whether this will match the former discographies is yet to be decided, but God Made Me An Animal is a step in the right direction.



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Comments:Add a Comment 
tyman128
Staff Reviewer
July 7th 2023


4620 Comments

Album Rating: 4.2

30 Under 13 and Become So Small back to back was a deadly decision

chilledpunkrock
July 7th 2023


113 Comments


More Greg Puciato on this kind of music is always a good thing. Still miss that frantic insane sound of Dillinger but his voice sounds good on anything heavy.

tyman128
Staff Reviewer
July 7th 2023


4620 Comments

Album Rating: 4.2

It's fun hearing both his chaotic side as well as his clean vocals on here

JayEnder
July 7th 2023


21220 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Review goes hard, EP goes hard.



Become So Small fuckin FLOORS it, plus the melodic elements in Sacrificial and the t/t were quite the pleasant surprise. I'm really gonna miss Keith and his incredible lyricism but this project was the best thing that could have happened after the ETID fallout. Stoked for more!

tyman128
Staff Reviewer
July 7th 2023


4620 Comments

Album Rating: 4.2

Thanks brotha! And dude, when that chorus in Sacrificial happened, I was blown away... would love to hear more melody from them honestly

JayEnder
July 7th 2023


21220 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Yeah dude my jaw hit the floor when that Sacrificial chorus hit. SO good.

Purpl3Spartan
July 7th 2023


9029 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Very noice m/

YoYoMancuso
Staff Reviewer
July 7th 2023


19360 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Review goes hard, EP goes hard [2]



YOU GOT MANIPULATEEEEEED

JayEnder
July 7th 2023


21220 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

slap city indeed

JohnnyoftheWell
Staff Reviewer
July 7th 2023


62495 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

your 5s are literally identical go back to the mothership

review is nice, EP very much exists and adds nothing meaningful or particularly exciting to portfolio the of any involved parties apart from that one cute chorus lead

tyman128
Staff Reviewer
July 7th 2023


4620 Comments

Album Rating: 4.2

EP does indeed exist but it does add

YoYoMancuso
Staff Reviewer
July 7th 2023


19360 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Led Zeppelin - Mothership

AsleepInTheBack
Staff Reviewer
July 7th 2023


10453 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

much better words thank you

s0nicx
July 7th 2023


557 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Yeah idk, its good but there's something keeping me from really enjoying it.

AsleepInTheBack
Staff Reviewer
July 7th 2023


10453 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

feel like an EP just isn't enough. these tracks come across very insular and unconnected. need an LP to see if they have the trve sauce.

tyman128
Staff Reviewer
July 7th 2023


4620 Comments

Album Rating: 4.2

“ much better words thank you”

I gotchu

Senetrix666
July 7th 2023


1656 Comments


get rid of will putney and this will be the most exciting band in metalcore in years

bowlermicah
July 7th 2023


236 Comments


Andy was too busy wrestling, and Putney would've always been on the boards, so playing some lead guitar makes sense.

syco722
July 7th 2023


822 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

There is no corner of my brain that comprehends why people hate on Will Putney so much, dude is an excellent guitarist and producer, pretty genuinely confused by that. This is incredible and exactly what I wanted it to be, more Greg Puciato doing harsh vocals in this style is welcome all day every day

AsleepInTheBack
Staff Reviewer
July 7th 2023


10453 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

putney is great. occasionally fucks up the production tings, but his style is very suited to this EP at least, and his END stuff.



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