Atmospheric and dark, Kaiowas has crafted an excellent chunk of metal with their "Kaiowas" debut EP. These five tracks run through heavy, melodic grooves with an emphasis on naturalistic song structuring. Casting an insightful eye on metal tropes, Kaiowas still manages to remain user-friendly to even the most amateur of metal heads, while keeping the interest of long time veterans.

Kaiowas opens their five song debut with 'Oroboros.' The title depicts the circular inclusive state of the serpent eating its own tail, and indeed the track feels self-reflective as it undulates, in various degrees of intensity, through interpretations of a theme. 'Oroboros' establishes the intelligent metal songwriting present throughout.

Kaiowas enjoys touching on these philosophical ideas, as is evidenced by track two, 'Universal Mind.' The universal mind refers to the idea of universal conscious, over mind, the kind of thing Hegel talked about in "Elements of the Philosophy of Right." However, I hear more of M.J. Keenan in Kaiowas than Hegel. Kaiowas seems heavily influenced by such albums as Aenima, and Lateralus. Maybe not. Maybe I’m off base, but by 'Obey' I’m hearing that lengthy single guitar tone over a grooving rhythm section, and I can feel the Tool influence. It helps that the production work was provided by Kattaman POM Chouglin, formerly an assistant of Sylvia Massey.

Call it tribal metal, groove metal, metalcore. A rose by any other name would tear your face off and throw your mind into the sixth dimension. This EP is more than a promising release from a young band. It’s a recording they can be proud of and it’s an excellent example of its genre, and the start of something that should prove to be special.

Kaiowas, ya’ done good.