INNER EARTH – Arcane State
- Posted on 07-06-2021
German prog metal outfit Inner Earth has released this musically intriguing 10-track effort of theirs and this is a most interesting album containing some pretty impressive stuff.
There is a good flow to the compositions, which entails that immersing oneself in its emotive songs feels as if you are taken on a journey, and they lack neither dynamics nor substance. The floaty atmospherics of "Vanished Haze" are wonderful and there is a subtle hint of the dramatic (and yet vaguely optimistic) to it. "Cinder" is another standout track that strikes the perfect balance between aggression and fragility while "Notion" and "Fray" are arguably the darkest and most moving pieces to be found on the disc. In many ways, Inner Earth’s brand of progressive music emphasizes melody and something strangely delicate rather than complexity and intricacy, and it generally works in their favor throughout. The record never leaves me feeling that I am listening to tired, rehashed ideas or a cheap copy of something else, but if I had to draw parallels to another act it would probably be latter-day Katatonia due to the inherent melancholy of the tunes and the way in which the vocals and riffs complement each other and conjure up a vibe that is both soothing and occasionally uneasy.
"Arcane State" ought to find some prog metal fans out there who are keen to hear more from this promising band, and I am certainly looking forward to their next opus myself and keeping my fingers crossed that it will be just as emotionally weighty as this debut offering of theirs. Quite beautiful in places, really.