EP Review: ‘Nu Malaise’ by Blight Town
‘Nu Malaise’ Cover Art. Courtesy of Blight Town.
Artist: Blight Town
Genre: Progressive Post-Hardcore
Label: Unsigned
Reviewed Music: ‘Nu Malaise’ (EP, May 22, 2026) 4 Tracks (12 min 33 sec)
“Go Go Gadget Bulletproof Head!” (2:24)
“Nu Malaise” (2:47)
“World Speed Ravine” (3:10)
“Called2Say” (4:11)
Review of ‘Nu Malaise’ (EP, May 22, 2026) by Blight Town
“…Of all the nobodies I've been
Of all the nothings that I've seen
You are a different shade of green
Capsized in the obscene…”
- Excerpt from “Go Go Gadget Bulletproof Head!”
The opening vocal lines and dissonant guitar of ‘Go Go Gadget Bulletproof Head!‘ ring out - gritty and swirling - reminiscent of prime Norma Jean or Every Time I Die, then quickly swept away beneath a cascade of shredded riffs and soothing verses. Impressively, this “compositional whiplash” is the correct introduction to the latest EP, ‘Nu Malaise’, by the progressive post-hardcore act, Blight Town, and is only the first of many hooks to come inside this four track adventure.
Flexing their talent early, vocalist Jake Hough, projects the chorus of ‘Go Go Gadget Bulletproof Head!‘ with a commanding strength and balanced timbre for the extended range. The ebb and flow of this track is a well-timed ‘stop and go’ of intensity, with some pointed lyrics to match.
“…Don't get mad, just get even
Violence is something I choose to believe in, there is no reason
Everybody says they're prepared for it, until its staring them blank in the face
Everybody thinks that the table's set, before the testament makes chase…”
- Excerpt from “Go Go Gadget Bulletproof Head!”
Rehashing a similar “in-your face” opening segment as “Go Go Gadget…”, the EP namesake, “Nu Malaise”, starts with another energetic clash for the ears. Channeling the frenetic chaos a la mid 2000’s Dance Gavin Dance, Blight Town keeps listeners on the edge of their seats with what sonically feels like a dynamic rollercoaster. Lyrically, this track is not as direct and listeners hear Hough dodging and bouncing around analogies like the rapid toss and churn of while white water rafting. That said, in-between we find some emotional vulnerability to anchor ourselves to:
“…But I am so fucking empty
And nature rejects a vacuum
So where does that leave me?…”
- Excerpt from “Nu Malaise”
“World Speed Ravine” presents with a much more stabilized, yet groovy presence, to change up the EP pacing. Instrumentally this single is proof of concept that Blight Town can vibe right along with the best of them. Although the final moments of this track are the cherry on top of track final crescendo, this track lays the calming groundwork for their emotional closer, “Called2Say”.
“Called2Say” is the heaviest track on this EP, however sonically is farthest from it. Laced with heartbreak and the struggle to comprehend a life gone too soon, this track is written about the loss of a dear woman to cancer - the woman who raised vocalist Jake Hough and guitarist Sam Hough. There is even an incorporation of her voice into the track in a touching, yet crushing, memorial for a loved one while the lyrics drive the pain of absence home:
“…You'll never catch me praying
But I'll still talk to you
Another pointless voicemail
I'll send into the blue…”
…..Just called to say I love you….”
- Excerpt from “Called2Say”
“She will live forever through this song” - Jake Hough.
It will forever be difficult to summarize the concept of loss with the appropriate terms in reviews, but artists using their art and platform to transparently grieve and express the darkest moments always hits me right in the gut.
For those who know my personal music preferences, it is well-known that the style and variety of “swancore” does not often land on my playlists - if ever. No hate, it’s just not my personal cup of tea. For any skeptical listener hearing ‘Nu Malaise’ and/or Blight Town for the first time, the band does themselves a slight disservice by not expanding their “For Fans of” list. While the quintet may have audible tropes and technical nods to the mainstays of the “swancore” style in their work, Blight Town arguably has the natural talent to align just as easily with artists such as Dragged Under, Dreamshade, Coheed & Cambria, Norma Jean, and Takers Leavers, across the progressive post-hardcore or progressive metalcore genres. Blight Town’s sound is the promising and very refreshing outlier in an already crowded sub-genre.
‘Nu Malaise’ is a tactful addition to Blight Town’s portfolio and is a demonstration of talent from front to back as they continue on their mission to prove they belong at the forefront of the rising progressive scene. - Nic B
FFO: Hail the Sun, Dance Gavin Dance, Wolf & Bear, Coheed and Cambria, Dragged Under, Every Time I Die, Norma Jean, Takers Leavers, Dreamshade