Power of Metal.dk Review

Inter Arma
The Cavern
Rating
Style: Sludge Metal
Release date: 10 October, 2014
Playing time: 45:56
 


This American formation is rather close to the ‘standards’ of the concept sludge metal in its early days when the gender started to differentiate from the primary soup supreme styles. I start with this, because the plenty ‘standardizations’ of INTER ARMA try to define the symptoms of their music but not its essence.

The new EP of the quintet is a single with the timing of an album… The 45-minutes long composition ‘The Cavern is a track, performed at the gigs of the boys that had not been recorded till now. After the contract signed with Relapse Records in 2013 the band is forced to work in a more conventional music environment, and its new release is a reflection of this actuality.

The Drone introduction is suitable for such a music product, and it flows to acoustic part with a violin. (In the EP have taken part a great number of guest musicians).

12 minutes of the beginning of The Cavern pass with one and the same rhythms, and this creates the feeling of a homogeneous song with slight psychedelic art rock riffs. The identical rhythm do not mean rudimentary one but in the comparison to the development of the composition, it is still simple. Here the vocals are only high, doomed-minor, almost reciting. After that the track unfolds to a magnificent conception with solos and thematic improvisation. The emphasized melodies that are not typical for other works of INTER ARMA here present at every single moment.  It seems that this is the reason for the defining of the band as post-metal, to whatever extend the non-metal has become to express itself as a post-one…

In the middle of the song is implemented a false final, how far is expected a vinyl release. B side starts again with violins, spreading out in parallel  with the aggression and the complications in this part. Slow parts full of desert inspiration correspond with the abstract lyrics, and create a pictorial notion of the music. As if acoustic passages are arranged in a heavy polyphony. At these places, as in the other albums of the band, could be found the affinity to PINK FLOYD. At the same time sharp guitars take with full force the best of the metallic sound touching METALLICA. The implemented more aggressive vocals release the tension from this heavy perception. The final sketches are a peculiar returning of INTER ARMA to their own essence – with the effects masking the vocals, the heavy non-melodic guitars, and the aggressive sound with moderated melody. Abstract noises from civilization or destruction slowly conquer the final of ‘The Cavern. Its the wind or empty radio frequencies.

This gender is not easy for perception both for the radio listeners and the big labels. Although some smashed albums in the sludge metal have been released, sometimes appears paragons like ‘The Cavern’. The fans of concept works with intellectual taste would evaluate this release. The fans of sludge metal have no necessity of invitation.


Tracklist
01. The Cavern

 

 

Label: Relapse Records
Distribution: Playground Music (Denmark)
Reviewed by: Rock Thrashler
Date: 27 October, 2014
Website: Inter Arma @ Facebook