CoC : Inner Misery - Sea : Review

Inner Misery - _Sea_
by: Alain M. Gaudrault (4 out of 5)

While their previous demo, _Perpetual Sadness_, (reviewed in CoC #8) left me flat, I found myself enjoying the rough mix copy of _Sea_ given to me by Don Clark, the band's guitarist/vocalist. While they're still playing speed-influenced death metal, the songs on this tape seemed to lodge themselves easily into my head, the chugging riffs and sludge-laden melodies blasting away in lashing waves. Far more creativity and originality went into these three no-frills-all-meat songs. Time changes abound, and different textures of sound are used to create a simple, yet powerful assault, neatly wrapped in tight delivery. Vocals are blunt death grunts, and the sound as a whole is minimal, which works effectively for Inner Misery somehow. This minimal production is probably what permits each instrument to come through so well in the mix, which is a blessing given the interplay between them, particularly in "Dreaming of the Dead". Death metal purists who like raw, lean songs with heavy speed influences would do worse than to check out Inner Misery.

(article published 16/3/1997)

CHATS
4/18/1996	A Gaudrault	Inner Misery: ...Of Outer Pain and Inner Misery

DEMOS
3/14/1996	A Gaudrault		Inner Misery - Perpetual Sadness