Innersylum
We were recently put onto Innersylum, a 4 piece heavy/power metal band based in Kingston Upon Hull in East Yorkshire. Having formed the roots of the band back in 2006, the guys have gone from strength to strength, developing their sound and building their reputation as a live band to check out. Going on to say that they draw influence from all genres of rock from Queensryche and Rush to Slayer and Anthrax, I was looking forward to checking out what they had on offer from their music.
My World gets the selection on the bands Facebook page going, launching off with a dark approach, almost luring you in to listen harder as the track builds around you. Soaring vocals combine with the dark and ominous backing music, bolstering the mix with a rumbling bass rhythm and distorted guitar combination, the track forming into something powerful, upbeat and full, drawing comparison to some of their prog influences yet managing to stamp their own approach firmly upon it. It’s striking how massive a mix these guys have managed to achieve here, somehow hammering out a sound which is full of elements, each one working in harmony with each other and showing off the bands ability to write anthems in the waiting. Hell I Am Inside continues this approach further, once again launching into a hard hitting melee of hammering drum lines, powerful guitar work and rumbling bass rhythms. This track packs as much of a punch as the first track, showing off the bands style and showing that they could well be an act to keep an eye out for! Somehow within this track the chaps have managed to also incorporate a real sense of catchiness, the sort of thing which elevates the track to a new level and form it into something which people will love, definitely a track which could well break these guys through if enough people hear it.
Reasons For Living presents a change in the progression of things, this time returning to the dark opening moments akin to the opening track before ushering in a more simplistic sounding track designed to allow you to listen. Despite the initial simple feeling, when you break the track apart there’s far more to it, from intricate guitar lines through to more of those incredible vocal lines, once again forming a catchy track designed to pull you in and keep you listening until the band are done with you. Desolation on the other hand doesn’t bugger about with any dark intros or messing about, this time simply launching you head first into a powerful melee of distorted guitar lines, hard hitting vocal lines, and a real sense that this is the power we’ve been waiting for. Heavier than some of the previous tracks, this one sounds like a live anthem in the waiting, the sort of track which will get a venue pumping and get people involved from the word go. To me, this is one of the best tracks on offer from the bands FB page, here’s just something about it which I really, really like, and want to hear a lot more of.
Everlasting continues this heavy approach, once again launching us straight into a hard hitting power combo of guitars, drums, bass and vocals, showing us that the band are nowhere near to being done and can continue to surprise and impress with each track on offer. Once again this track strikes me as the sort of track which is going to slay on the live scene, getting people chanting along and the venue moving from front to back. In Your Heart comes up as a complete contrast to the tracks before it, this time slowing things down and offering up a more emotional and chilled out track, still managing to hark towards the dark approach yet this time matching it with slow, melodic rhythms which sit you back and allow you time to take stock. Calm and reflective throughout, this track may well contrast some of the other moments on the selection here, yet it works thanks to the bands ability to alter their style, keeping you listening and continuing to show you that they know what they’re doing, make it work, and will change their approach whenever the moment calls for it.
Closing with Arms Of An Angel there’s a sudden reminder of the heavy approach of the earlier tracks, this time toning the guitars to sound like a Pantera riff before once again pulling back from the brink, just to make sure they don’t over do it. As a closing track this does things perfectly, leaving you wanting more and showing off yet another side to the band, continuing to push the boundaries of what you’d expected and showing you that there’s still bands out there doing things damned well, and with a style you wouldn’t expect.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the tracks on offer from Innersylum here, and hope to hear a lot more from them moving forwards. They’ve got a style which somehow sits between prog, power metal, and all out heavy metal, yet with their own unique ability firmly stamped upon it at the same time. If you’re looking for a new band to check out and power metal is your thing, then this is a band to make sure you check out, and a band I know I’m going to be keeping an eye on from here onwards.
To find out more about Innersylum, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
My World gets the selection on the bands Facebook page going, launching off with a dark approach, almost luring you in to listen harder as the track builds around you. Soaring vocals combine with the dark and ominous backing music, bolstering the mix with a rumbling bass rhythm and distorted guitar combination, the track forming into something powerful, upbeat and full, drawing comparison to some of their prog influences yet managing to stamp their own approach firmly upon it. It’s striking how massive a mix these guys have managed to achieve here, somehow hammering out a sound which is full of elements, each one working in harmony with each other and showing off the bands ability to write anthems in the waiting. Hell I Am Inside continues this approach further, once again launching into a hard hitting melee of hammering drum lines, powerful guitar work and rumbling bass rhythms. This track packs as much of a punch as the first track, showing off the bands style and showing that they could well be an act to keep an eye out for! Somehow within this track the chaps have managed to also incorporate a real sense of catchiness, the sort of thing which elevates the track to a new level and form it into something which people will love, definitely a track which could well break these guys through if enough people hear it.
Reasons For Living presents a change in the progression of things, this time returning to the dark opening moments akin to the opening track before ushering in a more simplistic sounding track designed to allow you to listen. Despite the initial simple feeling, when you break the track apart there’s far more to it, from intricate guitar lines through to more of those incredible vocal lines, once again forming a catchy track designed to pull you in and keep you listening until the band are done with you. Desolation on the other hand doesn’t bugger about with any dark intros or messing about, this time simply launching you head first into a powerful melee of distorted guitar lines, hard hitting vocal lines, and a real sense that this is the power we’ve been waiting for. Heavier than some of the previous tracks, this one sounds like a live anthem in the waiting, the sort of track which will get a venue pumping and get people involved from the word go. To me, this is one of the best tracks on offer from the bands FB page, here’s just something about it which I really, really like, and want to hear a lot more of.
Everlasting continues this heavy approach, once again launching us straight into a hard hitting power combo of guitars, drums, bass and vocals, showing us that the band are nowhere near to being done and can continue to surprise and impress with each track on offer. Once again this track strikes me as the sort of track which is going to slay on the live scene, getting people chanting along and the venue moving from front to back. In Your Heart comes up as a complete contrast to the tracks before it, this time slowing things down and offering up a more emotional and chilled out track, still managing to hark towards the dark approach yet this time matching it with slow, melodic rhythms which sit you back and allow you time to take stock. Calm and reflective throughout, this track may well contrast some of the other moments on the selection here, yet it works thanks to the bands ability to alter their style, keeping you listening and continuing to show you that they know what they’re doing, make it work, and will change their approach whenever the moment calls for it.
Closing with Arms Of An Angel there’s a sudden reminder of the heavy approach of the earlier tracks, this time toning the guitars to sound like a Pantera riff before once again pulling back from the brink, just to make sure they don’t over do it. As a closing track this does things perfectly, leaving you wanting more and showing off yet another side to the band, continuing to push the boundaries of what you’d expected and showing you that there’s still bands out there doing things damned well, and with a style you wouldn’t expect.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the tracks on offer from Innersylum here, and hope to hear a lot more from them moving forwards. They’ve got a style which somehow sits between prog, power metal, and all out heavy metal, yet with their own unique ability firmly stamped upon it at the same time. If you’re looking for a new band to check out and power metal is your thing, then this is a band to make sure you check out, and a band I know I’m going to be keeping an eye on from here onwards.
To find out more about Innersylum, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls