Review: The Effens Release Eventually EP

Toronto's The Effens release Eventually EP

Toronto-based glam-grunge band The Effens released their Eventually EP on July 30, 2021, via Hidden Pony and the band’s LootBag Records. The Effens lineup includes Austin Nops (vocalist and guitarist), Paul Theo (guitar and synth/samples), Hannah Weber (bass and vocals), and Fabian Oblivion (drums).

There is a growing trend of bands taking control of their music. This year I have reviewed albums by several such bands. The Effens is one of these who record and produce their own music and videos. They also maintain control of their branding and image by designing and manufacturing their own merchandise. According to the band, “The more we do on our own, the more everything has our fingerprint on it.”

Eventually is a chaotic album founded on the band’s experimentation with different sounds and techniques. It is not a typical album in which continuous vocals, guitars, bass, and drums are recorded and then mixed together. Instead, the vocals and instruments are recorded and then chopped up, rearranged, looped and manipulated with the use of multiple sound effects. Having their own label allowed the band to express their creativity in a way that may have been stymied by a larger label.

“Punishment” is one of the tracks that stand out the most to me. The basis for the song is a looped syncopated drum rhythm and guitar part that repeats throughout the song. The guitar combines single notes with an added pitch affect to create an octave sound. No guitar chords are played, only single note licks with a variety of special affects are used. The song’s rhythm has a descending melodic motion which allows each line to resolve.

Vocalist Austin Nops says “Punishment” is “about all the ways someone can control another by ‘caring’ or ‘helping’ them. Being a caregiver can become such a deep-rooted part of your identity that you don’t actually want the person you are ‘caring’ for to get better. This song is written from the point of someone who is sabotaging an individual just enough so that they are unable to become independent and will continue to rely on their ‘caregiver’”.

Unlike the previous song, “Venom Denim” is a more rock guitar driven song. It features heavy distortion, including Nops’ vocals, giving the song a more grunge-like sound. Instead of descending lines, this time the band uses ascending melody lines which creates tension. Nops shares, “You know that sinking feeling? Climbing out and wanting to save the person you fell in with, but knowing your attempts will only make them sink further? You can never truly take away the parts of your life that an ex has helped shape – “Venom Denim” is about all the marks and residue left, even after you’ve broken free of a relationship.”

He continues, “There are a lot of things that appear to be ‘love’ on the surface. ‘Love’ can fade and be replaced by the fear of being alone, comfort, codependency, lust, or even hate. You may not notice that what you’re feeling isn’t ‘love’ anymore.”

Eventually by The Effens is a highly complex and technical venture by the band. It consists of layers upon layers of vocals and instruments that are chopped, tossed in the air, and then reassembled to give the music the sound the band is pursuing. Nops’ vocals, combined with subtle harmonies by Hannah Weber, really deliver on the album. Besides providing lead vocals and guitars on the album, Nops does an excellent job producing and engineering the album. The Effens may be one of best to come out of Canada in quite a while.

Eventually Track List
1 Pavement Age
2. Thing You Can’t Take Back
3. Punishment
4. Venom Denim
5. Eventually
6. Step Dog

Follow The Effens