Between the Lies

Personnel: Matty Mullins (vocals); Kellen McGregor (guitar, drums).
Audio Mixer: Kellen McGregor.
Photographer: Evan Dell.
Released just a year after the band made their full-length debut with 2009's Sleepwalking, Memphis May Fire push their sound to its aggressive limits on their second EP, Between the Lies. While the Dallas-based band hasn't completely abandoned its melodic, post-hardcore tendencies, the EP feels more relentless in its execution. Songs like "Deuces Las Cruces" is a punishing metalcore assault that feels like an exercise in pure catharsis, especially given its placement on the EP after the floating, synth-drenched expanses of "Vaulted Ceilings," a song that feels like an oasis from the sonic savagery Memphis May Fire have started to experiment with. Though these kind of releases can often feel like a perfunctory reminder that a band still exists, Between the Lies feels like an important step in the band's evolution, bridging the gap between their debut and sophomore full-length, 2011's The Hollow. ~ Gregory Heaney