Solid State, 2009
8/10
Inhale Exhale is an interesting metalcore act from Cleveland, and Bury Me Alive is their third album for the venerable Solid State label. Not being familiar with earlier works from this band, I initially cringed at the thought of listening to another metalcore album that sounds like Slayer with a hardcore screamer. Bury Me Alive is a refreshing take on the genre and left me surprised and impressed. Musically, the band’s sound takes cues from Voivod with the numerous twists and dissonant guitars often found in each song. A stellar example of how good Inhale Exhale can sound is “Did You Ever Have A Touch To Lose”, which alternates between pounding, heavy rhythms and guitar licks thrown out with no guitar overdubs, a sound most commonly found on Pantera and Van Halen records. Many songs incorporate melodic singing, but most of what is to be found here are mid-tempo, heavy crunchers. Things don’t let up as the album progresses, some of the best songs (“Better Her Than Me”, “Intentions”, “Thin Black Lines”) are found in the second half. Inhale Exhale have delivered a record that is as notable for its sonic variations as its quality song writing. Fans of metalcore will immediately latch on to Bury Me Alive, and casual fans of the genre should also be suitable impressed. Inhale Exhale is a band with a bright future ahead of them if they continue on the path they’ve laid forth on this outstanding album.
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