Inevitable End - The Oculus
Inevitable End is a rarity in the sense that it is a "Christian" Grindcore band. When one usually thinks of Christan metal they consider Metalcore or Modern Metal bands such as Norma Jean, As I Lay Dying, and Demon Hunter, or rock bands like Flyleaf. So to hear a Grindcore one is pretty unique. Originally the band went more towards a Death/ Thrash Metal outlet before switching over, and their first debut back in 2009- 'The Severed Inception'- was pretty well received by most critics. Now their sophomore effort, 'The Oculus,' stands up in comparison as a pretty chaotic album that certainly holds the elements of Grindcore. Right from the opening track "Tell Us, Parasites," the music is furious and unrelenting much in the vein of bands like Napalm Death or even Carcass was. The guitars will snarls, squeal, and even whistle at times making a huge cacophony with the drums hammering on overdrive as fast as possible. Even the brief instrumental "Of The Well" can be random, like a looping of Noisecore or a less 'bassed up' Sunn O. The vocals though tend to stick towards the gray area between death and thrash metal, much like the more high pitched squeals heard in Grindcore but much less annoying. They sound more like Screamo or Melodic Death Metal vocals along the lines of Threat Signal. As a result, it is more unique than the average Grindcore or Christian Metal band, along with innovative track titles and lyrics to boot.
The downside- at least for the first half- is that like most Grindcore a lot of the ingenuity on the lyrics is lost. The music is certainly technical and enjoyable to hear, especially when the bass rumbles in on a track like "The Supreme Treachery" before giving way to a faint, but discernable Middle Eastern riffing going on in the background, which is perhaps the first sign of 'melody' on the album compared to how heavy everhtying is just churning out over and over. Things get considerably slower and more accessible when it comes to a track like "Chamber Of Aapthy" as the music starts to slow down to keep up with he vocals and sounds a bit more like the usual Metalcore expectaton of Christian Metal, even though later on it picks up to get more chaotic and even during the melodic bits it tends to sound a bit haphazard. "Memento" takes on instrumental qualities similar to "Of The Well." Serving as the most ambient track on the album, it starts out similar to "Tell Us, Parasites" but suddenly slows down with a heavy buzzing in the background that almost sounds like Drone Metal. The drums take on a militant march and then the guitars invoke their usual harsh squeals which are rougher than sandpaper, but when it is just the drone, things actually sound pretty melodic. It's the last bit of 'peace' anyone will hear before the last three tracks just grind and spit up listeners like the first half of the album does. As a result, one could certainly say that 'The Oculus' is Inevitable End's heaviest album to date, but it may not be their most melodic effort. The messages embedded in their music are still inspirational, but more difficult to hear without the lyrics right in front of the listener.
The downside- at least for the first half- is that like most Grindcore a lot of the ingenuity on the lyrics is lost. The music is certainly technical and enjoyable to hear, especially when the bass rumbles in on a track like "The Supreme Treachery" before giving way to a faint, but discernable Middle Eastern riffing going on in the background, which is perhaps the first sign of 'melody' on the album compared to how heavy everhtying is just churning out over and over. Things get considerably slower and more accessible when it comes to a track like "Chamber Of Aapthy" as the music starts to slow down to keep up with he vocals and sounds a bit more like the usual Metalcore expectaton of Christian Metal, even though later on it picks up to get more chaotic and even during the melodic bits it tends to sound a bit haphazard. "Memento" takes on instrumental qualities similar to "Of The Well." Serving as the most ambient track on the album, it starts out similar to "Tell Us, Parasites" but suddenly slows down with a heavy buzzing in the background that almost sounds like Drone Metal. The drums take on a militant march and then the guitars invoke their usual harsh squeals which are rougher than sandpaper, but when it is just the drone, things actually sound pretty melodic. It's the last bit of 'peace' anyone will hear before the last three tracks just grind and spit up listeners like the first half of the album does. As a result, one could certainly say that 'The Oculus' is Inevitable End's heaviest album to date, but it may not be their most melodic effort. The messages embedded in their music are still inspirational, but more difficult to hear without the lyrics right in front of the listener.
- Tell Us, Parasites
- Escaping The Black Hole
- Zen
- Dogmaties Paralies
- The Supreme Treachery
- The Oculus
- While Surpassing Ether
- Of The Well
- Chamber Of Apathy
- Memento
- Me Tem Psy Cho Sis
- Cadaver Inc.
- Of Sublime Dimensions
Label: http://www.relapse.com
Reviewer: Colin McNamara
Oct 15, 2011
Oct 15, 2011
Next review:
Impaler - Nightmare Attack
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