VWMusic

All images courtesy of Justin Adams/Oshian

By Trevor ‘Krash’ Knight
keeperofthe7key@aol.com

Welcome to another Krash Kourse Review. Today’s EP is the brand-new Losing Grip from Oshian.

Released in February 2023, Oshian’s second output is 4-plus years from their debut Argument of Fools from 2018. Oshian is a modern metal band out of Pennsylvania, made up of founder/vocals/guitarist/bassist Justin Adams, along with guests on guitars for some songs Matty Singh. The Losing Grip EP is produced by Hayden Calhoun, who also handles the drum programming.

Right off the bat, we start with “Sleepless Nights,” which feels like we pick up exactly where we left off from the debut album, certainly in tone and musical feel. It’s a quick-paced, heavy song, telling us Adams is here to mean business on this five-track EP. It also brings in good guitar work and an excellent chorus to break up some of the speed.

The second track, “True Intentions,” is one of my favorites here, it is more off of mid-pace or slightly slower tune, but Adams’ vocals are in the same vain as “Pathetic” from Argument of Fools, which I would say more on the emotional or heartfelt side of things. This song is accompanied by not so much of a flashy guitar solo but a much-needed good feeling solo to end the song.

Now to “Cross the Line,” not my favorite track on Losing Grip, but still quite a good listen in the context of the EP. It brings some heavy parts into the transitions, chorus, and an entertaining solo—nothing wrong with this song but nothing too outstanding.

All images courtesy of Justin Adams/Oshian

The next track is an interesting one called “Take Control.” This track has quite a different feel to it, with Adams throwing some different vocal styles/effects through this song, and I think it works well. It’s certainly a varied and stand-out track here, with crunchy riffs and fast lyrics in parts that will get some rhythm in your blood. The only negative thing about this track is that there’s no true guitar solo here, but the song still flows well. 

Off to finish the Losing Grip EP is the final track, “Lose Myself.” Another heavy and crunchy song with some screaming vocals at times, but in other spots musically and vocally “is “Lose Myself” sound as if it’s paying homage to nu-metal akin to Linkin Park or Slipknot. It works and helps bring more variety to Losing Grip.

Overall I was impressed with the Losing Grip EP. With having 4-plus years to write and record, you never know how much a band might change. But that’s not the case with Oshian or Losing Grip, which features excellent production, and overall, the group still sounds as they did.

Still, there is growth here, and you can see small parts musically/songwriting where Adams is branching out, which I enjoyed hearing. I will give the Losing Grip EP a Krash Kourse Rating of 4.0/5. It has some really good songs, band growth, and stout production. As I said before, there isn’t much I don’t like here other than not having guitar solos in some parts, but that’s a personal preference, really.

I highly recommend following Oshian on all social media, picking up this brand-new release, Losing Grip,” and checking out our video interview here. Losing Grip is now available for digital purchase and streaming in stores such as Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Tidal, Google Play, et al.

All images courtesy of Justin Adams/Oshian

– Trevor ‘Krash’ Knight (Krash Kourse Metal Show) is a contributor for www.vwmusicrocks.com and may be reached at Keeperofthe7key@aol.com