SHRAPNEL - In Gravity LP

Possibly colour vinyl.

"Four years on from the band’s previous outing, Palace For The Insane, it sees a very different SHRAPNEL emerge from slumber. Yet, slumber would belie the band’s efforts as SHRAPNEL have worked themselves to the bone, meticulously tearing down and rebuilding their identity, taking what was once a great thrash outfit into a staggering master of all. In practice, you have a consistently strong slab of modern metal, offering 12 instances of carnage as the worlds of death metal, metalcore, thrash, and a dash of prog collide in the most sublime cacophony. The results speak loudly for themselves, but the album’s glowing endorsements alone are enough to raise eyebrows. Production from engineering wizard Jens Bogdren, author of countless classics from OPETH to VILDJARTA, and a gate-opening feature from WHILE SHE SLEEPS screamer Scott Kennedy? You need not hit ‘play’ to know that In Gravity pulls few punches.

While the band certainly refuse to be chained to their past, In Gravity revisits the quartet’s ‘banger-after-banger’ approach and avoids fixing what wasn’t broken. It makes for a flurry of four-minute ragers, save a couple, while accomplishing the almost impossible task of instilling a distinct, consistent sound, without ever becoming stagnant. For instance, Guardian is a much more traditional thrash ‘n’ bash crash course, while Judgement prefers to soothe than savage its listeners, and Absolution is allowed more time to breathe as it explores non-linear, progressive landscapes. Uniting them all, however, is a masterclass in hook-writing. It’s rare in 2024 to find a 12-track album where each single can be committed to memory, but the anthemic chorus melodies of Amber Screams or the double-time joy that is Follow The Cold truly catapult the band ahead of the competition." - Distorted Sound