A debut record is an awkward thing. A debut record might sound absolutely nothing like what the band becomes—awkward, fumbling outings like Sigur Ros’ Von or Radiohead’s Pablo Honey that arrive aimless and formless.

But every once in a while, a debut record comes around that, as it is said, “arrives fully formed.” It presents the group’s intentions with laser focus, introducing a clear picture of their artistic mission.

Having seen My Epic a handful of times in the last year, I can assure you that I Am Undone is one of those debuts.

While many bands—especially in the underground indie rock scene—might struggle to find their voice, I Am Undone sounds as much like My Epic as anything they’ve done in the decade since. The band shifts easily between heart-rending, string-assisted ballads and hardcore heaviness. At times, it’s reminiscent of Sleeping At Last’s folk-tinged indie pop, at others, it seems to look to the theological riffage of Thrice and As Cities Burn’s Come Now Sleep (which might just be the most influential Solid State Records album of all time? Come to my TED Talk).

Frontman Aaron Stone’s mercurial voice shifts just as readily, moving from a fragile tenor to a venomous growl. Compare his soaring falsetto on “The Oil Press” to the explosive climax of “Lest We Die.”

Throughout the record, the group flexes their compositional muscles through a wide range of moods and styles. The best example might be “You Became I.” The track opens with a furious folk strum that makes you think it might be a Mumford and Sons send up before the skittering drum groove takes control. From there, it moves to a chorus with angular, post rocky guitars. By the second chorus, the song explodes into a full post hardcore catharsis, shouted gang vocals trading lines with Stone’s soaring melodies. The riffage gives way to soaring harmonies as Stone sings of the Kingdom to come. After a few moments of ambient longing, it explodes into a cacophony of distorted guitars and clanging cymbals.

The ringing feedback of that track then gives way to the hymnlike “—” (which was forecast by the instrumental “Peralandra” earlier in the record, and I am a sucker for reprises like that). The refrain of “My God,  I am not, but You are” is rife with a tangible earnestness that even cuts through the crashing chords that close the track. And even ten years later, it remains the most powerful moment of their live show.

I admit that I was almost entirely unfamiliar with My Epic when I sprung for this record on a $10 sale on the Facedown Records website. I was much more interested in their 2018 EP Ultraviolet, but an additional tenner seemed like a small price to pay. And that gamble more than paid off. Now, I just have to wait for the rest of their catalog to be repressed as well (Yet was just reissued and will be purchased as soon as my budget allows).