The Mantis Opera have grown on the sound of their debut EP and expanded it in the best way possible, taking the fierce rhythmic complexity of Four Movements and injecting a much heavier sound and admirably thoughtful subject matter.

The Mantis Opera have built up a reputation as a must-see live act in the underground London scene. Having sold out shows at Brixton Windmill, and with a concomitant list of artists they’ve shared stages with: Penelope Isles, Squid, PVA, Goat Girl and Black Midi to name a few, it’s not hard to see how they have managed to amass a loyal and adoring following. It’s been almost five whole years since the band released critically acclaimed Four Movements. In the time since, the band have reflected amongst themselves with a beacon of light shining directly on the political and social issues that smother us all. Fans have been eagerly waiting for their return. Finally, releasing their second EP Broken Glass fans can rejoice as the project was well worth the wait.

From the opening fanfare of broken guitar riffs, angular synths and hectic drums, you’re sucked into the world of The Mantis Opera. ‘HOPE:DESPAIR’ is a neurotic anxiety-inducing start to this EP. There’s a majestic power on this track that amplifies the performance chops of the band. In terms of songwriting, the tracks seem much more focused than their first EP. The occasional sweetness of their first EP has been overhauled, ripped-up and spat out. Instead, The Mantis Opera are irate and, at their most visceral, towards the end of track I’m even reminded of Swans. Baleful distorted motifs underlie the whole project, perhaps serving as a conduit to the reflective nature of the lyrics and themes. The titles of the tracks on the EP almost serve as a mirror image, a musical metaphor for Yin and Yang, with the opener paving the way for the positive/negative duality of the themes behind Broken Glass.

The next track ‘Get Along’ is a jarring and bleak tale of social divergence. Speaking of the lyrics and themes behind it, Allister Kellaway shares: “I guess off the top of my head, this song is about conflict.  More specifically, the kind you get online on twitter etc. How we vilify the "other" like they're some malevolent cog. It could be your neighbour but they may as well live on another planet. I've been recently thinking about how we leave no space for forgiveness anymore, and it's poisoning the well. It makes us mean and callous, makes our circle of empathy grow smaller and smaller…” Ultimately, the track serves as an unfortunate reminder that social media can be an exceptionally toxic place and that it has most likely made people even less empathetic than ever before.

‘7:8’ opens with a soundscape of crunchy friable synths before being encapsulated by jaded broken guitar. This builds into some serious riffing when the heavier distorted guitars come in further down the line. Towards the end of ‘7:8’ there’s a feeling of pain, as the cacophony of guitars dart in and out of each other there’s a harrowingly desperate energy. The way the synths almost seem to flutter like the wings of a butterfly towards the end of the piece is a similarly nice touch. This is the only instrumental track on the EP and serves as an emotional segue into the final track.

By comparison, closing titular track ‘Broken Glass’ goes straight in with vocals. There’s some autotune on the vocals, which seem to maybe even have an influence from the PC Music scene. The guitar riff at about 1:05 is enough to make you question whether you’re listening to some epic undiscovered 90s Radiohead B-Side or The Mantis Opera. However, this soon changes as we meet a wall of squeaky strings and silly, slinky synths. Shockingly, the fun that radiates from this track is hard to miss. This track makes you feel like you’re at some kind of nefarious carnival that’s somehow up in the clouds.

The Mantis Opera are sorely underappreciated in a genre that at times feels oversaturated. There’s an element of fun in The Mantis Opera that you don’t seem to get with other post-punk bands. They take risks. More so, there’s a level of experimentation that is unlike others in their scene, with polyrhythmic synths and remarkably strong guitar hooks at the forefront. With Broken Glass, The Mantis Opera have grown on the sound of their debut EP and expanded it in the best way possible, taking the fierce rhythmic complexity of Four Movements and injecting a much heavier sound and admirably thoughtful subject matter. For fans’ sake, let’s hope the next release from them isn’t another five years away.