EP REVIEW: Dremora - The Illusion of Hope

Over four years into their career, Dremora are beginning to really figure out their sound. Working their way through the underground with some impressive results in the annual Metal 2 the Masses competition, the 5 piece symphonic metalcore outfit are now 3 EPs into their career after the release of The Illusion of Hope, and don’t look like slowing down just yet. 

Although The Illusion of Hope only clocks in at 19 minutes and 4 tracks, it provides a good metric for how the band has grown since their debut EP, Hold the Line, was released in 2017. The main reason for this, of course, is because that EP’s title track has been re-recorded on Dremora’s latest effort. And if you compare the two, the improvement in their musicianship is noticeable, with the song’s structure further developed and aided by new symphonic elements.

That doesn’t mean that Dremora have gone all-in on the symphonic elements, however. The strings, most prominent on “Hold the Line” and “Disillusioned”, are very much a supplement to the sound, allowing the guitarists Trunks Saunders and Dave Hunt to drive the direction of the music. By focussing on their metalcore-influenced songwriting as the focal point, and contrasting it with the melodic, gothic-tinged vocals of vocalist Gemma Philip, they’re able to create something a little bit different to what most alternative, symphonic and metalcore bands do and avoid falling into the trap of becoming too cliché, or derivative of other acts.

The main concern that arises from The Illusion of Hope, though, is that Gemma is not showing us the true extent of her vocal capabilities. There are several moments where it feels like she’s more concerned with keeping in tune than actually putting the energy and emotion into the lines she’s singing. There’s no doubt that she’s a great singer, but the self-restraint is holding her back. It may just be the production having that effect, but if Gemma learns just to go all out and leave it all on the record, it could have a much bigger impact on the music Dremora are producing and take it to a whole extra level.

All in all, though, Dremora have shown that their hard work since their first EP isn’t for naught, and The Illusion of Hope is another huge leap in growth for them. Their fusion of influences means that they don’t just slip into the same holes that other contemporaries might to, but there is still a feeling that they have more to offer, and they won’t truly be able to break out in the scene until they can surpass their seemingly self-inflicted limitations. If a full-length album is on the cards in the near future, that will be where we can properly judge their capabilities.

Dremora’s new EP, The Illusion of Hope, is out now. Stream and download below.