Its rare to see a band be able to come out with something
that is both gorgeous and aggressive at the same time.
Underoath did it a few years back with “The
Changing of Times” and there may have been one
or two others along the way, but other than that this
is something extremely difficult to do. Enter Inked
in Blood’s sophomore release on Facedown Records…
oh my, these guys have taken the frantic energy of
hardcore and blended it with the glorious melody of
indie rock in a way that has been attempted by many
others but no one has done this successfully. This
is melodic hardcore as it should be done. “Sometimes
We Are Beautiful” melds beautiful singing and
dangerous screaming put together in a way that is
completely cohesive and not losing the power of either.
Closing with a glorious repetition of “We have
the hope of all hopes” and opening with the
ferocious snarl of “Call to Arms” Inked
in Blood takes you on a post-hardcore ride through
their own world of melody through these 10 tracks.
These are songs of hope and redemption in this crushed
and decaying world of loss. Although there is no ‘smash
hit’ single like last years “Lest I Sleep
the Sleep of Death” from “Lay Waste the
Poets”, “Sometimes We Are Beautiful”
is a cohesive effort that puts its best foot forward
when listened to as a whole. Allowing the swirling
guitars and breakdowns envelope you and make you wonder
if this is what Strong Arm and Radiohead would sound
like if they were coupled together in the early 90s.
Although it may not be strikingly scene like everything
else out there, and it may not etch itself on your
memory immediately upon first listen, “Sometimes
We Are Beautiful” has all the makings of a classic.
This is the best hardcore record of 2007.
Key Tracks: Paradise Regained & Call to Arms
Reviewed by Rob Froese |
