Leading off is a fake news broadcast announcing "Operation Termination": a multinational governmental plan for ridding the Earth of the irredeemable human race. Well-written, scathing, and darkly humorous enough to have been penned by Maynard James Keenan, this track establishes a common thread "connecting" Disconnected's disparate tracks. While the EP is not hung up on political and social issues, each song, even the Skid Row and W.A.S.Pcovers, can be viewed as a reaction or an alternative to the destructive patterns which have brought the world to its present state.

That reality is addressed vehemently in the title track's incisive lyrics and pounded into one's brain in a manner that brings Profane Omen's ability to mesmerize the listener not just with the force of their bludgeoning but with its originality and sophistication to new levels. "Disconnected" attacks with highly distinctive riffs, rhythmic and structural complexity, and brilliantly orchestrated degrees of intensity. The EP's bolder, more amped-up sound versus that of BIS is apparent here, its only regrettable aspect the fact that the vocals, especially when rough, are less prominent. The difference is particularly noticeable on this song, where Jules Näveri (also of Enemy of the Sun) is at his most brutal and the instrumentation at its heaviest. The special resonance his voice had on the album (even on a comparable track like "Adrenaline") and the immediacy and edge he gave BIS are diminished.

From the all-out relentlessness of "Disconnected," the EP then moves to extremes of other types, as the catchy but by no means simplistic "In Fear" steers the focus to Profane Omen's punk side, and "Breed Suffocation, Breed Extinction" (the one left off BIS) dips deeper into melancholy and plays with contrasts more extensively than is usual for them. Samuli Mikkonen's crazy drum-patterns are a glorious foil for the song's solemnity and a counterbalance to the overall moderate pace even as they drive it. The aggressive music adroitly slips into and out of a subdued interlude, but within that passage the presence of guest vocalist Sari Laine of Susie Lee and the Deepest Love Band stretches polarity too far. In the context of this song and the EP as a whole, her affectedness and "girliness" (as opposed to simply femininity) are jarring. Otherwise, though, it's exciting to see Profane Omen broadening the dimensions of their sound with this track.

An even greater evolutionary step is taken in the magnificent "Learning To Die," an ambitious, slow-burning epic that builds to an emotional conflagration. His voice dripping bitterness and resignation, Näveri produces possibly his best clean singing ever in the verses, his restraint there effectively contrasted by some amazing screams in the latter part of the song, where he sounds like someone who's totally snapped. But his is not the only powerhouse vocal performance on this track. Joining him is Taneli Jarva - no stranger to exceptional EPs, as fans of Sentenced, The Black League, and Chaosbreed know. This song is very well-suited to his style, and he and Jules - two of the world's most soulful metal/rock singers - sound fantastic together. Also deserving special mention is guitarist Williami Kurki, who, in addition to composing this track's music and profound lyrics, distinguishes himself with a hell of a solo.

After the intensity of "Learning to Die," it seems natural for Profane Omen to indulge in some fun. "Slave to the Grind" and "Wild Child," the latter previously recorded for the band's 2002 demo, Throw Your Stones, would not have been my first two choices of covers for this band, those being "Rock 'n Roll Revolution in the Streets Part 1" and "Part 2" by Eighties/early Nineties garage-punk visionaries Miracle Workers. But that's just how individual such preferences can be. Many people will undoubtedly eat these up. Both are superior to the originals in every conceivable way, and "Wild Child," albeit sounding a bit frantic, trumps even Susperia's perfectly creditable version. Neither cover, however, is a revelation, such as might be the result if they transformed songs even further afield from their own music or discerningly plucked some little-known gems that have an affinity with their sound.

However, the boldness Profane Omen display in "abusing some classics," as stated on the EP's back cover, is one of their most admirable qualities. They are absolutely fearless in their willingness to give each of their songs what it needs, wherever that might take them, and nearly infallible in recognizing what that is. On Disconnected that approach has resulted in increased maturity, complexity, brutality, and subtlety across the board. If the evolution heard on this EP is an indication not only of what their next album will be like but of future possibilities for their ambition and creativity, be afraid; be very afraid.

The multimedia portion includes a video for "Disconnected," which was directed, filmed, and edited by Jani Saajanaho, who also did the "Fallen Rage" video by Misery, Inc., Jules Näveri's former band. High quality and daring, it features some nice acting by Jules and Marko Salakka (ex-The Collision). Another video, a promo showcasing the BIS song "Rewind," is a montage of concert footage, off-stage antics, and live and promo photos. Finally, there is a "making of" video for the EP, which is in Finnish, without subtitles, but still entertaining for non-speakers. Among its highlights are:

• The incredible Samuli Mikkonen displaying some of the skills that place him in the upper echelon of Finnish drummers

• Williami Kurki with a blissful expression on his face as he mouths the words while listening to Taneli Jarva recording his parts of "Learning to Die"

• Producer Ville Sorvali (Moonsorrow) consuming a delicious-looking ice cream bar

• Jules and engineer Aleksanteri Kuosa wearing skull masks while chatting and performing "Ring of Fire."

For the last of the above, the speed is doubled, which is a pity. Amusing as the hyper-version is, it devalues the rarity of the moment.

written by Maud

Playing time: 31:33