To create an album that can only be described as ethereal is a feat all on its own. That really does feel like the goal for any band that falls into the realms of either post-rock or post-metal, and it’s constantly pushing bands in such styles to do the very best that they can as much as possible. It’s not terribly often that we can get a band that straddles the line between those two similar yet distinctly different sounds despite it being pretty simple in theory. Face Off had no such problems with that idea, though, as it’s with their latest EP that this band shows off much more than a mere understanding of the post world.

This is one of those works where you can just tell that the band in question really went for what they were trying to create as you can feel all of the passion and attention to detail in every moment in every track to make the whole body of work something that not only requires multiple listens but a good amount of respect. “Machines” undoubtedly qualifies as such a piece by far with Face Off constantly walking the line between what post-metal and post-rock can be as we’re constantly drifting through dreamscapes that change on every whim of the universe, and it’s entrancing, to say the least. While I feel this work falls more in the rock side of it all, there is a decisive edge that’s expertly done throughout these four tracks that know how to bring each of them together in a very tasteful way that keeps “Machines” feeling organic and flowing freely where it can become very easy to sound stale or boring even. Face Off brilliantly brings them both together in a way that always keeps the listener’s attention as there’s a real ebb-and-flow throughout the whole of the EP to quickly make it a work that fans of either style should check out immediately, for it’s got more than enough to satisfy the desires that one could ask for from either style. It’s with surprising precision and intriguing gentleness that “Machines” brings it to life gorgeously.

This is a concoction that’s always on the verge of being created by any given band in either style at any point in time, but few bands are able to achieve it as well as what Face Off has accomplished here. What they did differently I couldn’t tell you, but it’s throughout every minute of “Machines” that you can feel whatever it is penetrate every single note such that but the time the EP ends, you’re going to want to dive back in just to experience the genuine excellence again.

LISTEN to “Machines” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Face Off on Facebook here.