There was a time, dear reader, when the idea of a drum machine or a sequencer in metal music was unthinkable. "No electronic instruments!" "No synthesizers!" liner notes would proudly proclaim, as if the mere touch of fake ivory corrupted.
Well, thanks to one-idea "geniuses" like Trent Reznor, all that has changed, and the results have been, for the most part, forgettable. But Inner Thought has managed to bring a freshness and inventiveness to this strange marriage of techniques.
Inner Thought is what you might call a "death metal" band, a category marked by a distinctive style of vocals: a deep, sometimes unintelligible growling, often coming across less as singing and more as a sound effect to contribute to the cacophony. It seems to be one of those things you either love or hate, and I guess I'm trying hard to love it, because in so many cases, the music behind the vocals is excellent.
Perspectives is a bleak, sad album, weaving bitter tales of confusion at the horrors of the world. It's nothing new as far as content goes, but at least it's done well, and stands up to repeated listens. Particularly notable is "Rack of Lethargy", a happenin' little tune which throws in some funky keyboard for good measure, and "Autodogmatic", which takes on topics like slavery and the assassination of Dr. King.
I enjoy this album a lot, and unlike In Flames' The Jester Race , this is a case where the death-growl vocals fit the material. This stuff will probably continue to grow on me…much to my wife's chagrin, I'm sure.
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