2019 marks the return of the amazing duo of 8mm (http://8mmlovesyou.com) !! On Feb 22, 2019 they released their new EP, Heart Shaped Hell, and it’s a much welcomed return to your ears! Founded by Grammy-nominated producer/mixer multi-instrumentalist Sean Beavan (Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, No Doubt, A Perfect Circle) and his multi-talented wife, Juliette Beavan, 8mm, were one of the first bands to embrace DIY and strategic licensing. They quickly became championed by luminaries such as Nic Harcourt, Geoff Boucher, Kevin Bronson, Jason Pettigrew and Antiquiet. One of the most licensed bands in the industry (“Underworld: Awakening”, “Dirty Little Liars”, “Mistresses”, “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Nip/Tuck”, “Nikita”, “One Tree Hill”, “Shark”, “Cold Case”, “Moonlight”, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”, etc.), their powerful live performances and intriguing videos have earned them an ever-increasing hardcore following.
The new EP, Heart-Shaped Hell, starts out with the sultry voice of Juliette on the song, ‘Self-Inflicted Heartache’ – where the song gives the listener a brilliant reminder of what made them fall in love with 8mm in previous albums. After the opening sequence, Juliette shows us the power of her voice in the chorus, exclaiming “Hey! Hey! This is how I break… It’s my self-inflicted heartache!” The song goes on, hypnotizing the listener and finishing with a great guitar solo by Sean.
The first single, Supercrush, is next on the EP and this is by far my favorite song. Starts off with a catchy electro-groove and keeps giving the listener a strong bass thump underneath Juliette’s singing with the rhythm. Sean also brings an electronic infused guitar to this tune, making it easily the best song off the EP. The title track follows, bringing you back to the sultriness of Juliette, and encouraging you to swing along with the song and feel that really no-one can break the spell of her amazing voice. That continues into the next tune, Bring it on, but this song is a little different – we finally hear Sean singing along with his wife, making it a beautiful duet. I think Bring It On is a contender for the 2nd best track on the EP, having both their voices in the song makes it a great song.
The final 2 tracks are the same song, Move with Me, but one has a spacey 2 minute and 20 second intro that could easily be a track to welcome 8mm on stage when they perform it live. I actually could see this song being used in a tv show, possibly a sci-fi show. Juliette encourages the listener to “just move with me” and by the time you hear her sirens song in the middle, you will be moving along with her – and also agreeing that you won’t let her go. This song leaves you wishing there were more than 5 (6) songs and it was a full length album.
I am very happy to see that 8mm is back and this EP is a great way to bring them back! I only hope that they take this (and their older material) back on the road, as they are amazing to see in a live environment. Those long time fans of 8mm should definitely listen to this EP, and if you’re a fan of bands like Portishead, Massive Attack, Metric, Poe, or similar – you should give this a listen as well. You may just become one of the hardcore fans that have been following 8mm since 2006!