Born from a writing retreat in Victoria’s Yarra Valley to address internal tension, Northlane’s Mirror’s Edge fruitfully ticks the boxes for everything the Sydney metal innovators do so well. That includes stuttered electronic elements and battle-ready riffs mingling with stark dynamic shifts and Marcus Bridge’s soaring vocals. Songwriter/guitarist Jon Deiley calls the EP “the greatest hits of Northlane sounds,” and that retrospective feel also accounts for some guest spots that represent foundational influences on the band’s journey. Following the atmospheric warmup of the opening title track, “Afterimage” adds Karnivool and Birds of Tokyo vocalist Ian Kenny to the mix for a dramatic, prog-leaning scorcher. “Miasma” then calls in the cavernous crush of Parkway Drive’s Winston McCall, who inspired Northlane so much early on. Ex-bassist Brendon Padjasek (now of Structures) even shows up to scream against the uncertain throb and teeter of “Kraft,” while the unabashedly clubby closer “Dante” brings the EP full circle with its soft and dreamy outro. Rather than casually coast following the success of 2022’s Obsidian, these six songs find Northlane thoughtfully taking stock and then coming out roaring with renewed determination.