Greek metallers InnerWish have produced this, their 5th album, and first with a new vocalist George Eikosipentakis. He’s the band’s third frontman and I think they’d be wise to hang on to this one – he’s a keeper.
The most immediate thing about the self-titled InnerWish album is the huge sound. Mosnter production and clear mix and that traditional European melodic metal sound – double kick drums, frantic at times pacing and layers of guitars and riffs.
The next most noticeable attribute of this album is the new boy. He sings his ass off here. George has a massive case of the Jorn Lande’s, which is not a bad thing as far as I’m concerned.
He’s delivery isn’t quite the same and his voice somewhat deeper than Jorn, but the style and the mannerisms and the raspy grasp of higher notes and powerhouse screams is total Jorn.
Highlights include the riff powered Roll The Dice, with a big Masterplan style chorus; the faster, more menacing Broken; the Impellitteri styled Machines Of Fear; the acoustic intro’d mini-epic Needles In My Mind and the even longer Rain Of A Thousand Years.
Only the acoustic Cross The Line gives off any hint of a song of non-metal origins. It’s a really solid ballad.
And the Iron Maiden themed Tame The Seven Seas closes the album with a flourish.
This is the type of album that fans of Impellitteri, Masterplan and Iron Maiden to name a few will enjoy. Good strong songs, some surprising chorus hooks in places and layers of harmonies when needed. An album that puts this band on the map in my opinion. Metal heads should investigate.
