Power of Metal.dk Review

Mire
Inward/Outward
Rating
 
Style: Progressive Rock/Metal
Release date: 18 March, 2014
Playing time: 41:13
 


Everyone likes Tool, it seems. Some people like Tool a little too much, I think. This new Canadian band Mire is, from the very first track, a fan of Tool. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, even for those that dislike Tool. However, Mire does sound quite a bit like the famed prog metallers, and I think they are pretty proud of that fact. Their debut album "Inward/Outward" is an ode to Tool, but there is a bit more going on at times, too.

Mire has the signature sound down pat: the dark and heavy riffing, the kinetic instrumentals, the bouncing bass, the slightly abrasive edge, and the extremely complex time signatures. Heck, singer J.P. Lachapelle even sounds quite a bit like Maynard, possibly with a slightly rougher edge. So, if you are wondering what Mire sounds like, I guarantee that you already know. That aside, though, Mire has put together a good debut album. Sure, their influence is front and center, but I feel there are other influences at play, too, such as Audioslave on some of the soloing, A Perfect Circle in the softer moments, and Rage Against the Machine is some of the grooves.

In all honesty, I'm not overly fond of Tool. I always found their music to be a little too calculating and abrasive for my tastes, and I find similar problems here. First and foremost, I find the vulgar language to be unnecessary. It doesn't bother me, but in music I tend to find it juvenile and lame. The lack of melody is what really gets me on "Inward/Outward", though. The grinding guitars offer little more than mental numbness. Some of the tracks, such as "Limitless", are rather pleasant and lean more toward A Perfect Circle. These tracks are definitely my favorite. 

However, with all of that said, the band should be congratulated on their musicianship. The beating heart of this album is virtuosity, and we hear it time and again on tracks such as "Complex" or "Tyrannicide". So, what this album lacks in listen-ability, it gains in sheer complexity. Tool literally has nothing on Mire in this department, and the band should really take heart from this. If they can recreate such a signature sound as Tool's, they should have no problem venturing off into their own territory.

Mire is a Tool clone. I'll just say it. However, in a world where Tool repeatedly doesn't deliver, Mire could really find a following. They have the chops and they have the guts to create something of their own, and I hope that they do. I hope they leave the shadow of their influences and start to wow us with something we've never heard.


Tracklist
01. Complex
02. Tyrannicide
03. Limitless, Pt. 1
04. Limitless, Pt. 2
05. Convolution
06. Beast and the Machine
07. Catalan Atlas
08. Mantra Cymatic
09. Open Circle
10. Upheaval
Label: Independent
Distribution: Mire @ Bandcamp
Artwork rating: 80/100
Reviewed by: Jason Spencer
Date: 25 March, 2014
Website: www.miremusic.com