Fun fact about me… I’ll check out anything on Sharptone Records. Since Bleeding Through’s return to the scene a number of years back through them, along with a ton of my favorite bands on the label as of now, it was a no brainer for me to listen to my link containing Profiler’s “A Digital Nowhere”, which is due for release on February 16, 2024. All established acts aside, Sharptone Records is THE PLACE to be for up and coming metalcore/hardcore bands.
Press Release Bio:
Profiler joined SharpTone Records in 2020 and has quickly become one of the most exciting bands in the Nu-Metal resurgence. The three piece was formed by vocalist/guitarist Mike Evans, who’s now joined by bassist/vocalist Joe Johnson and drummer Brad Ratcliffe. Profiler’s nu-metal-grunge-alt-rock, call it what you want, is an abrasive distorted soundscape that reverently glances back to those genres’ heydays. Profiler is for anyone who misses or missed the contagious nineties Seattle grunge movement or the explosion of nu-metal that dominated the 00s and the genre-bending bands they made a path for. A Digital Nowhere is the audio embodiment of this fusion with a 2023 filter applied and complemented with vocal diversity that effortlessly moves in a beat from a trippy, shoegaze-like haze to quintessential nu-metal rapping and unhinged screaming.
The first few tracks of this release have me sitting here in my feelings a little bit, the press releases say this is for fans of 156/Silence and Emmure… But also for fans of Linkin Park. I was such a diehard fan of Linkin Park during their breakout years so this blending of clean vocals, screaming, and catchy hip hop beats and melodies always grabs me by the heartstrings when it’s done right. This combination of elements is scattered all across this album, but really caught my attention in the third and fourth tracks, “Delay” and “Animo”.
I never really gave it too much thought about whether or not metalcore could actually be full force seemlessly blended with nu-metal, but Profiler definitely opens my mind up on that front quite a bit. “To Utopia” and “Zero” had me really vibing and nodding happily. “Consumed” rounds out the record with some more tame and calmed tones, but remains powerful throughout the track, while highlighting some more diversity in their vocals. I always appreciate a vocal powerhouse, just saying. A real BANG hits us about halfway through “The Living Receiver” but maintains a more calmed tone flowing through from the previous songs, at least for most of the track anyway. I got major “By Myself” by Linkin Park vibes. (That song is arguably one of my favorite songs on Hybrid Theory just because of the contrast and back and forth so this is a compliment to the guys in Profiler for sure.)
A serene ending can be heard in the final track, “Sequence”. I felt this really rounded out this release and showed the truth that they state in their bio. This album as a whole really embraces the possibilities and fresh sounds that come from blending genres. I hadn’t heard of these guys prior to this release, but they’re definitely going on my lists now! I could absolutely see these guys crushing it opening for the metalcore heavyweights and really upping their fanbase, and I hope that’s what happens for them!
Pre Order “A Digital Nowere” HERE!
Photo Credit: Promotional image included in Profiler’s press kit, credit goes to whomever the original creator is.