Imbred’s return this month brings perhaps an even harder hitting display of classic grunge than anything from before. Still those gentler vocals have a familiarity about them, the style is recognizable having heard his previous work, and the songs throughout this project offer a string of single word titles (not exclusively) and ideas that provoke a certain level of thinking; personal reflection, consideration of mental health, feelings of isolation and the little things we turn to for relief.
Depression starts thing up and is all of the above in itself. The personal outpouring feels very genuine, heartbreaking in its scream for freedom – lines like misery is all I feel stand tall and linger in your mind. The lyrics on this project have a little more clarity perhaps, you can hear the thoughts and they connect in a very real manner.
Audio-wise Anxiety follows the opener and seems quieter, the levels vary – the vocals are even easier to hear, though the voice turns to an almost whispered delivery; perhaps appropriately highlighting the very concept of being anxious. It’s a short track that hits quickly.
Elsewhere on the album, certain musical riffs have that classic grunge character about them – Happiness is a good example. The riff is partly joyful but the melody and lyrics contrast with this quite intensely. There’s a musical build up that works well in between the verses and the hook. Cigarette offers a similar guitar pattern but in a different key. In many ways, the lyrics throughout this project feel like a stream of consciousness – there’s rhythm and a pattern to the set-up, for sure, but the words just pour through without any prior concern or desire for editing. This particular song has the feel of something you might find in the depths of a Nirvana album.
Sober introduces a manic and impressive drum line that powers things up with weight and intensity from the offset. The same themes of personal turmoil ring loud throughout. Afterwards, Anarchy adds a slightly new guitar-line and a higher melody that seems a little Pixies-like in nature. The switch to the hook has contrast and this gives it a much greater effect – slightly more upfront vocals within the mix would likely further this.
Apathy is another with a little more character and edge, the guitar sound is lighter, the vocal melody has a youthful meandering aura to it. Still there’s a free-style jam vibe to the whole thing – something you come to expect from Imbred. These are the ideas and feelings of frustration pouring through to an audience in the hope of finding and connecting those who suffer from similar difficulties – which is what many of us seek out in music in the first place. Talk To Me follows and furthers this idea, growing to become one of the most memorable songs on the project from a melodic and musical perspective. There’s a delicacy to it that works well among the concept.
Ambien brings back those flickers of Nirvana – the back and forth between the high and the low within each pair of lines creates a nostalgic mood. Sleep follows and sees things to a fitting end. The instrumentation is a little more experimental at first, utilizing these final moments to build something that stands out. This feels like in the moment rock – real and ready to shake the building. The pace seems to increase throughout, something you might notice on numerous occasions on this project. It reinforces the realness, the organic nature of the music, and it reminds you of the artist at the heart of the experience. A worthy choice to close down the album.
https://soundcloud.com/imbred/sets/princest
