Inner Blast – Sleepless Monster (2012)

With a Gothic Metal style that we haven’t heard in quite a while, today we have Portugal’s Inner Blast and their debut EP “Sleepless Monster”. Reminding us of Gothic Metal bands from the early 2000’s, the simplicity behind this band’s sound makes them very fresh and something completely different to what we are currently used to these days. Providing us with nearly 28 minutes of music, the five tracks in this EP are quite enjoyable and bring back some nostalgic memories from the past.

Since the opener “Better Days”, the band delivers a very ‘old-school’ vibe thanks to the simple production. The keyboards are just present to add atmosphere, and are never overdone like in all bands these days. Liliana’s vocals are very natural and don’t try to be operatic or anything, just filled with feeling and that is all. We have missed music like this since bands like Nightwish, Epica, etc., now sound like a movie soundtrack and some of the emotion behind the music is greatly lost.

With very catchy riffing, “Sleepless Monster” creeps in and expands on the band’s well defined sound. Relying on the vocals to carry the music, this song is quite enjoyable. The drumming is pretty well designed to keep the song flowing, and does not feature any production tricks making it sound very organic. The highly emotional “Tears” has a nice piano melody to accompany Liliana’s very mellow vocals. This song gives a very tiny jazzy vibe, making it a bit depressive and we love it. In this track we are reminded of Ashes You Leave and similar bands.

The more upbeat “Fixation” delivers a few operatic hints, and a very catchy chorus section. The closer “Open Minds” is nicely started by some keyboards and then the riffing comes back with very depressive Doom-like riffs, this makes this song be our absolute favorite from this short but sweet EP.

While there is clear evidence that the simple production behind this release is a financial constraint, it also adds to the overall depressive atmosphere of this release. The guitars are quite basic and could use a few more ‘dramatic solos’ here and there, but they still work perfectly with the band’s sound. With nothing sounding overproduced or ‘enhanced’ by studio magic, “Sleeper Monster” is one of those releases that will surely resonate in your head for quite a while. We particularly love this release because it took us back to the days when Gothic Metal was a depressive and beautiful because of the simple melodies behind it. Very recommendable release for fans of older Gothic Metal with some Doom influences.

Release: February 27th, 2012

Genre: Gothic Metal

Country: Portugal