Attack on Venus is your local pissed off galactic explorers. With the release of the album XO they explore new territory. XO is a fairly short release that focuses on bringing you along their journey. If you have listened to Attack on Venus live it is very much a sonic exploration, however this EP directs you more towards structure and catchy hooks with an occasion sonic bloom. “Album Youth” is a bit of a trickster, a somewhat robotic chant of sorts sets a subtle dark tone for the release. The album it really hits on track two with “Rockets.” The song encompasses Attack in a well-rounded manner and is one of the highlights of the EP. Much darker in tone with a large eerie guitar landscape and guitar solo, the track provides a nice broad scope of musical influence to shine through and really grabs the listener.
The band takes an interesting approach lyrically throughout the tracks. It is very hard to make a solid decision on what perspective the lyrics are coming from. Is the singer Alan Hlavacek rationalizing to himself, speaking to the listener, or is the story directed at him? The somewhat ambiguous vocal style leads to an interesting vibe throughout the EP. The third track on the list is “Tape on Rewind.” The most grounded track is very fittingly the most relatable. Filled with self-doubt and uncertainty of past decisions, it is an introspective song that can be applied to so many walks of life. With a slight grin Attack on Venus close the EP with “Radiation,” a fairly aggressive track with social and political under tones sprinkled throughout. It leaves the listener in a dissonant void and bludgeons them with heavy riffs. Overall the EP is short and sweet and is definitely something every local rocker, punk, and metalhead should have in their regular rotation.
