Currents by In Vain, released 1.26.2018 (Indie Recordings)
In Vain is a Norwegian Metal band whose music sits between the technical sweeping song writing of Progressive Metal, and the powerful melody driven charge of Melodic Death or Melodic Black Metal. Their fourth full length release, Currents, is more of the same for fans of the bands seemingly perfected formula of riff driven, larger than life metal music.
Currents comes complete with much of what makes In Vain a unique and important member of the Melodic Death Metal Genre:
- big hook choruses,
- multiple memorable and soaring vocal harmonies,
- a handful of hard-hitting, bass-pedal driven power riffs,
- and a few of the elaborate, almost orchestral bridges to tie together music that puts a paramount on storytelling and emotion channeling.
photo taken by the band, In Vain, for use in promotional material
Building on the success of their previous, critically acclaimed releases (The Latter Rain 2007, Mantra 2010, Ænigma 2013), Currents isn't exploring new territory in the band's sound.
Instead, the release adheres to the time tested approach of finding new ways to mesh aggression with beauty, harmonious cleans with visceral growls, huge larger-than-life choruses with quiet bridges to set tone and atmosphere, and pinch harmonic chug riffs with arpeggiated melodies.
Currents has all you could want in a genre bending release from one of the most consistent artists in the scene, even potentially acting as great introduction band to those those new to this style of metal who want to hear what it's all about from one of the best songwriting in the craft.
Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Melodic Black Metal
for fans of: Dark Tranquility, In Flames, Ihsahn, Ne Obliviscaris
to purchase this album: amazon | bandcamp
let me know in the comments below!
I know it is almost January, but I will be surprised if this doesn't end up in my top 5 albums of the year for 2018. Ænigma was one of my favorite albums from recent years, and even with a crazy high standard set, Currents still really impressed me.
I think a lot of bands try to blend a lighter style of progressive metal with extreme metal and it often comes off as very forced, but In Vain seamlessly transitions from a slow pace to faster one, harsh vocals to clean, a dark tone to more upbeat. Listening for the first time, I was anticipating what would happen next at every turn. I will definitely have to listen a few more times to fully digest it, but really enjoying it so far.
Awesome to hear, @bowbow!
MeloDeath tends to be a genre i don't gravitate to for exactly the reasons you outline in your comment on lighter and extreme blending, though that permeates for me on every level of the genre, not just in progressive intersectionalism.
That said, whenever a new In Vain record is going to drop, i'm always going to drop everything and check it immediately. Probably still need a few more spins myself, but glad we'll be enjoying those spins together, mate.
i'll be making a post at least once a week on new albums, so be sure to follow if that's of interest. Also did a writeup for my top dark ambient albums of last year and have a few more niche genre lists to put out. Content will probably be a 50/50 metal/not metal split, but, hopefully still enjoyable.
Thank you for the support, mate! /m/