If a band or artist releases a record under the Pure Noise banner, one of two things are true: it’s a towering masterclass in metallic hardcore rife with searing vocals, or it’s a provocative, introspective piece of songwriting excellence. Obvious examples include recent Fit For A King and Senses Fail.

The hot-off-the-press full-length debut from Inclination firmly positions the caustic collective into that very category. Unaltered Perspective packs a punch or two with bite-sized offerings of belligerence.

The bile being spewed from the salivating mouth of Tyler Short is only matched by his straight-to-the-point lyricism. The central theme tackles the all-too-real drug epidemic the United States has been grappling with for time immemorial, and the blatant corruption and greed-over-humanity approach that is taken by corporations, Big Pharma, politicians. Take your pick.

 

Short is proclamatory in his vicious harshes, which lends credence to his passion and pent-up anger at the roughshod attempts at trying to quell the crisis. The double-headed monster of ‘Epidemic’ and ‘Thoughts and Prayers’ speak to his disdain. In short, it’s going to take a hell of a lot more than thoughts and prayers to shake the country out of a tragedy that is at least much more preventable than the big wigs would lead you to believe.

Rounding out this firebrand group are guitarists Peter Katter and Isaac Hale (Knocked Loose), bassist Caleb Murphy and drummer Christopher Mills. The rhythm section delivers intoxicating guitar bursts (‘Bystander’) and lethal, frightening compositions (‘Marooned’).

Not to be lost in the onslaught, album closer ‘Commitment To Self’ is a remarkable piece of work. Soft, inspiring lyrics (“I deserve more than what I’ve been allotted”) give way to hearty screams, resulting in unblemished perfection. Similar to the intro, it concludes acoustically and represents the finishing touches, the final nail in the coffin of the band’s “fuck you” attitude towards corruption, collusion and corporate greed.

Those ailments unfortunately aren’t going away anytime soon, but at least Inclination is here to put angry screams to our thoughts and provide an opportunity to mosh and headbang ourselves silly.

Buy the album here: https://purenoise.merchnow.com/collections/inclination

 

8 / 10

 

8 / 10

MATT COOK