“No justice in sin, rotting from within.”
I’ve always been a big advocate for (tasteful) synth work in metalcore. For a long while, there were very few bands that seemed to be able to pull it off. However, in recent years, with the advent of a newer, more R&B-and-electronic-inspired wave in metalcore with bands like Northlane, and more recently Bad Omens leading the charge, it seems the bands with the wherewithal to actually pull of these sounds well have bucked up their ideas and had the cajones to actually give it a shot, to wildly successful results. Inertia are one such band, and with their brand new EP Memoria, they seem intent on securing their place toward the head of the pack, with an incredibly concise collection of five of some of the most fun and engaging metalcore tracks I’ve had the pleasure of hearing in a while.
The pulsating synth work used to build tension and atmosphere on tracks like “Arisaka” and title track/closer “Memoria” feels tastefully and masterfully done. Of course, given their specific blend of djenty, low-tuned riffs with their 808-and-synth-laden R&B-esque sound is gonna naturally attract comparisons to bands like Kingdom of Giants, but don’t let that discount just how robust these tracks are. Each and every track on here has its own feel, structure and instrumental makeup that make them all feel distinct and impactful, and while the sounds on display have previously been done well by those aforementioned bands, these tracks stands shoulder-to-shoulder to some of the output of those groups.
The balance of punishingly heavy to gorgeously serene seems to be perfectly calculated across each and every track here. With the exception of quintessential two-minute banger “Nemesis”, every track across Memoria blends and contrasts the low-tuned chugging and piercing screams with the smooth, infectious hooks and ethereal on display here masterfully, with no track quite exemplifying their strength in that contrast like “Parallels”. Harboring one of the softer vocal performances across the EP for much of its runtime, the track uses its sparing heavy moments to full, obliterating effect, with a brief chugging section right after the track’s first chorus sure to put a stank face on any unsuspecting listener. Then comes the track’s downright disgusting breakdown, featuring one of the hardest drops on the entire EP. It’s quite a blindsiding moment, but not quite as blindsiding as what follows.
Aforementioned track “Nemesis” comes in at full swing. The only track here featuring absolutely no clean vocals, “Nemesis’” brief two-minute runtime on here is used to its fullest extent. Following a far more linear structure than the other tracks on the EP, just when you feel like the track is letting up, it seems to only get heavier. The fleeting moment of breathing room given at the track’s midpoint only serves to give the drop that follows just that much more weight, and it’s incredibly effective in its goal.
Closer and title track “Memoria” closes out the EP with another masterful blend of the softer and heavier sounds of the EP, though seems intent on making a lasting impact after its closure. Much like “Parallels”, “Memoria” lulls the audience into a false sense of security with a relatively subdued sonic makeup in its verses, only to, yet again, blindside the listener at the EP’s closing moments with a pit-opening breakdown. The dissonant tapping leads provide a layer of chaos over the percussive chugs, as Memoria does what it does best by closing out its 18-minute runtime with as much impact as possible, through its masterful blend of styles that leave each track feeling more unpredictable than the last.
Overall, Inertia’s Memoria is nothing short of a stellar experience. I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a sucker for this newer brand of R&B-and-EDM-meets-djent that’s emerged over the past few years, and this really scratches that itch, but I can ensure that any fan of big core choruses; fun, djenty riffs; and tasteful synth work in metal will find something to love on Memoria, and it truly left me wanting more. Here’s to hoping a full-length is on the way in due time.
9/10
Memoria will be available tomorrow, March 18th via Resist Records, and you can pre-order the EP here.