Rock Realms - 'Invisible Wounds' review - 2009

http://www.rockrealms.com/archive/i/inmoria_iw.php

Swedish band Inmoria, named after a dwarven mining complex in Lord Of The Rings, is new but familiar all the same. They are more or less Tad Morose with a different singer. Dan Eriksson (keys), Christer Andersson (guitars), Tommi Karppanen (bass) and Peter Morén (drums) have all been in the happily titled group at one point or another. Vocalist Charles Rytkönen is the front man of another well regarded Swedish group - Morgana Le Fay.

The music is an interesting proposition. It's heavy, symphonic and almost electro-pop in places. The end result has a well-worn feel to it, but if you break down the individual components there's a lot of novelty value here. The female vocals (who they're by I can't seem to find anywhere) add a nice twist to the sound.

Charles Rytkönen's vocals tend to dominate proceedings. He has a totally off the wall sound - kind of like someone screaming in agony, anger and ecstasy all at the same time. He gets compared to Jon Oliva from Savatage, although in places he sounds like Zed (Bobcat Goldthwait) from Police Academy attempting opera.

First track 'Come Insanity' sees the band opening with a bang. Charles' penetrating vocals, the various synth sounds and intricate harmonizing make for a true experience. Whether it's musical in the traditional sense of the word it's hard to know, but there's definitely something catchy in the mix. The sound is very busy and kind of anthemic. The spoken samples give the track an air of superiority over 'normal' music.

'Alone' starts with some absolutely pumping guitar and drum work that'll have you head banging like a confused woodpecker. The way the vocals flit between high pitched and gravelly will confuse you, but the rhythmic assault makes it all worthwhile. 'Fantasy' is a beautiful track. It's heavy, melodious and has an epically proportioned feel. Imagine a cheesy Ibiza dance track performed by Overkill and Mike Oldfield and you'll be close to the mark. The combination of dream-filled keyboards and double kick drums is interesting... and it works brilliantly.

'Circle Of Memories' has some wonderful retro keyboard moments.. The lead guitar sound has a digital edge - kind of like the Fear Factory sound. I guess you could describe the style as industrial prog. The female vocals on 'Haunting Shadows' have a 70's punk feel and give the song a pleasant off-kilter atmosphere. 'Will To Live' continues the theme. It's a faster number that barely pauses for breath. It gives me the overriding feeling of posh-punk, whatever the hell that means. 'The Other Side' goes all Lamb Of God, whilst final track 'I Close My Eyes' has some synth-altered vocal effects which should be awful but sound bloody marvelous.

There's a fair bit of repetition on Invisible wounds. Many of the songs follow similar paths and end up sounding alike. The sound has a vast depth, but the numerous layers are not always separated well enough. The end result is a busy album with a muggy production in places. However, there's something moorish about the result. This shouldn't be a good album but it is... and I have no idea why!