Don't Close Your Eyes
Parkway Drive · 2004
45 min · 14 tracks · heavy metal
Aggressive metalcore riffs collide with raw, anthemic vocals, creating a sound that is both visceral and cathartic.
Top tracks — play these first
-
→
Smoke ’Em If Ya Got ’Em — The track showcases the band's energetic sound with driving riffs and an infectious chorus, encapsulating their early style while resonating with live audiences.
-
→
Don't Close Your Eyes — The title track blends powerful lyrics about resilience with dynamic instrumentation, making it a standout anthem that captures the essence of the EP.
-
→
Dead Dreams — This song features intense breakdowns and lyrical themes of despair, highlighting the band's ability to balance aggression with emotional depth.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The EP showcases solid metalcore elements but lacks the depth and cohesion of later works.
What we noticed
- The first half of the album features fast-paced, aggressive riffs that maintain a high energy level, while the second half introduces more melodic elements and varied tempos.
- Vocals alternate between harsh screams and clean singing, often within the same track, creating dynamic contrasts.
- Several tracks incorporate breakdowns that emphasize rhythm over melody, which is a hallmark of the metalcore genre.
- Composition 25% of the score
-
6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
-
6/10
- Durability 25% of the score
-
5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
-
5/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
-
4/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- cathartic release of pent-up feelings
- wave-like pacing with dynamic shifts
- relentless energy for intense workouts
- aggressive anthems for emotional release
Maybe skip if you
- seekers of mellow soundscapes
- prefer predictable song structures
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in early 2004, Don't Close Your Eyes was Parkway Drive's debut EP, marking their entry into the metalcore scene. At this point, the band was still relatively unknown but began to gain traction within Australia’s heavy music community, setting the stage for their subsequent full-length albums.
- Stylistic neighbors
- August Burns Red· Killswitch Engage· As I Lay Dying
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 … 1:12
- 2 Smoke ’Em If Ya Got ’Em 3:45
- 3 Dead Dreams 3:20
- 4 Flesh, Bone and Weakness 5:13
- 5 The Cruise 1:56
- 6 You’re Over 3:16
- 7 Looks Like Yoda 2:55
- 8 Don’t Close Your Eyes 4:42
- 9 I Watched 3:29
- 10 Swallowing Razorblades 4:14
- 11 Emotional Breakdown 2:32
- 12 Hollow Man 2:22
- 13 The Negotiator 3:39
- 14 Hopeless 2:52
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
Sync your library
Everything you track here works immediately — no account needed. Create one when you want to sync across devices.