Musically, Inhale Exhale is dark, intense hardcore, almost-black metal like Zao or Horde, but like Disciple, their music retains melodic qualities. The lyrics come through clearly with recurring themes of leaving the old life behind. It’s easy enough to follow along with the vocals, unlike many other extreme bands. In short, Inhale Exhale is extreme dark metal, without sacrificing understandability for sheer noise-intensity.
As the title indicates, the first track is a song of “Redemption”. Building up from slow melodic guitars to dark, heavy speed metal and a blend of growled, screamed and sung vocals, the song reminds us there is no turning back to the old ways. Track two admits life in Christ can, at times, be scary, but it’s a real life of freedom. That freedom isn’t earned; you only obtain it “By Grace”. “Frail Dreams and Rude Awakenings” reminds us a life of this world is dead. We can “Dance All Night” around the Truth, if we like, but, denial of that Truth will ultimately kill us. The “Call to the Faithful” is that we cannot serve God and mammon. The fifth song growls out for listeners not to be two-faced, to make a choice. “Touch of Deception” begins with high-pitched feedback before offering machine-gun-fast guitar riffs to support the message of the Deceiver constantly trying to sneak up and remind you of your sin. It can be all too easy to forget that Jesus is there to watch your back. Leave your past behind. It doesn’t need to drag you down.
“Your Walls… My Words” offers aural-tasty guitar treats. The song is a message that we build the walls, but God’s Word transcends them. “Tonight We Die Together” faces the struggle to let the old self die. It can be quite difficult to leave behind known,but binding comforts. “Sons of Tomorrow (to Noah James)” gives a softened break from the extreme metal, musically similar to a Led Zeppelin acoustic number, where the message is Christ’s comfort. Then the mood jumps back to the harsh. Growls and screams mix with melodic lines and energetic dark music again to sing of forgiveness and leaving old things behind in “Rose Among the Ashes”. “The Lost, The Sick, The Sacred” starts off softly but jumps between furious and soft a few times while reminding us that we are the lost, the sick, and to Jesus, the sacred.
Inhale Exhale’s “The Lost, The Sick, The Sacred” is a good CD to offer the hardcore enthusiast in your life in this Christmas season, very good at what they do.
Suite thanks Paul Landkamer for his guest review.
