Ethereal Collapse lean towards very melodic hooks similar to bands like Soilwork and In Flames, who hold an obvious influence here. Thankfully they also seem to dig the bay area style, which results in some hefty thrash riffs which are far less wussy than those Swedish icons and gives this band a nice edge throughout these four minorly retro, extremely catchy tracks.

Much of the focus here is on the twin guitar lines, mixed with a very fleshy distortion that doesn't thin out the sound and is perfect for the dual harmonies and liquid arpeggios in the leads. Reaching for something near to Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, the solos could use some polish, but are otherwise well constructed and emphasize rhythmic deference rather than an eagerness to dazzle. That kind of solid perspective permeates this disc, topped with a vibrant sincerity running through each song. A raw counterbalance to the sharp melodies of Ethereal Collapse is the vocals leading their charge. The accentuations of vocalist/guitarist Ryan Klubeck remind me a little of King Fowley from Deceased, but rather than grunting out the lyrics, Klubeck emits treble-drenched croaks with a rather unique and strong character, emoting just the right amount of disgust and descant of peril to wrench the full effect from a word or line.

Even if this band doesn't turn out anything radically different as of now, they do show strong acumen in how they've chosen to incorporate different elements in search of making an impression with crisp execution and presence that deserves a chance to mature and move forward.