One of the first words one might use to describe the second album from Sweden’s Inevitable End is schizophrenic.
However this is the wrong word. For something to be called schizophrenic it usually (in the popular meaning of the word) implies two or more distinct personalities, often quite different. The classic literary example being Dr Jekyl and his alter ego, the crazy Mr Hyde. ‘The Oculus’ definitely features sudden musical changes all jumping out at you faster than a cheetah who’s just sniffed a few lines of Columbia’s finest, but these shifts are definitely not between differing, and distinct, musical genres. A much better ‘faux mental illness’ description would be ADHD. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to give it its full description.
Inevitable End seemingly have too many ideas and a need to show them all at once, the music that makes up the album is a constantly morphing sea of scattergun riffs, screamed vocals, jazzy blastbeats and feedback howls.
they will engage a gag reaction rather than a swallowing one
Their spiritual home is most definitely death metal, but the defining techniques have been harnessed in such a way that there is now very little actual ‘death’ left. Influences are more along the lines of SiKth and The Dillinger Escape Plan. It’s almost as if they are anticipating being placed low down on live bill and have written a bunch of songs designed to scream over to those standing around at the bar waiting for the headliners to put their pints down and come and see what all the racket on stage is about. One second the band lock into a groove but before anyone has to chance to pick up the rhythm and bang along they change it up with a dissonant guitar arpeggio and launch into some crazy tapped riffology, and then dive into a bass heavy chug, and then moments later you’re wrong footed with a howl of feedback underneath a pained lyric, and then suddenly….. You get the idea.
These sentiments are backed up by vocalist Andreas Gerden speaking through his record label, Relapse,
[The Oculus] feels massive and maybe even more intense than our debut at points. We've allowed ourselves to experiment quite a bit this time around and combined a lot of different elements ranging from post-metal and doom to grindcore, and also mixing in some new, exciting instruments into our sound.
Repeated listens of the album certainly allow the listener to engage with the maelstrom of sounds and new bits & pieces are picked up each time. The main problem is that while the record possess some sonic depth, there doesn’t seem to be any reward for digging further. No extra appreciation is gained, no hidden flow is uncovered and the songs are still impossible to successfully air drum/guitar/bass/’instrument of choice’ along to. In this sense it’s revealing that the must successful song on the record is ‘The Supreme Treachery’, which is the most straight forward and simple of the offerings here.
Their spiritual home is most definitely death metal, but the defining techniques have been harnessed in such a way that there is now very little actual ‘death’ left
Maybe Inevitable End are trying too hard to be noticed, maybe they are shouting a screaming a little too much in trying to overpower their audience, elicit some attention and force themselves down peoples throats that they will engage a gag reaction rather than a swallowing one. But, isn’t that the nature of ADHD? Being a bit ‘too much’ at all times. Most definitely. So if you want to be pulverised by the musical equivalent of a super-charged kid who’s drunk too much cola, eaten too many sweets and watched a bit too much Power Ranger’s then give ‘The Oculus’ a spin, but be aware that no hidden depths will rear up from the midst of storm.
The Oculus by Inevitable End released on Relapse Records May 24th
