It’s time to talk about In Element.
Since 2003, the band that currently operates as a masked trio has been playing a modern blend of what they call “modern Melodic Death Metal coupled with energetic and catchy influences”. In 2022, the band signed to M&O Music and announced the release of Victory or Defeat, their fifth album.
The album opens with the motivational I Will Break Your Neck, which quickly unveils modified backing vocals to accompany the raging screams with strong Hardcore roots. Raw energy is regularly broken by these smooth modern parts, creating a rather extreme contrast that will also be found on Scorpion’s Paradox, a very heavy and aggressive composition which tremendously calms down when the modern elements come. The break will also be complemented by these disturbing additions as Until Our Last Breath which almost sounds like a ballad, sometimes even forgetting screams in favor of clean vocals hidden under the vocoder. Is Noise follows with more energetic sounds but only composed of keyboards, Electro roots and vocal parts that… sing In The Air Tonight (Phil Collins)? In The Air 2nite confirms that the band has decided to impose its touch to this mythical title, and all I can say is that their chaotic identity is very present, overshadowing the original title with some mastery. The final burst of energy will try in vain to rekindle the flame, before letting Fear Is The Virus finally get back to the raw and catchy roots the band knows how to spread, creating an efficient rhythmic before letting these strange vocal samples announce the final part driving us to Your Own Heart, the last composition, which is also adorned with melancholic and sweet tunes which will finally be covered by these modern ambient sounds.
You’ll think I’m unfair because I’m not receptive, but I’m not. I really liked the raw elements of In Element‘s compositions. But Victory or Defeat relies way too much on its modern parts to be considered Metal in my opinion.
30/100
