Inhale Exhale "I Swear"

I'm not hesitant to admit that Inhale Exhale's sound, as it shakily walks a tight rope between chunky metalcore and Underoath-y "screamo," is formulaic. You've got a blend of gravelly screaming and familiar, soaring hooks. Heavy, metallic riffs and upbeat melodies. Double bass-fueled beats and poppy, driving rhythms. In your head, you've practically heard it already.

But I'm also not hesitant to admit that Inhale Exhale pulls it off well. It's clean and accomplished; the band proves to have a handle on writing everything from memorable hooks to lumbering, metallic riffs to gratifying breakdowns. Plus, they feature John LaRussa, a former member of the defunct (and seemingly forgotten) Narcissus, who brings a certain progressive slant to the guitars and, I imagine, the songwriting process. His signature, atmospheric picking sequences break up the metallic and chord-based riffs, and often give Jeremy Gifford a particularly golden opportunity to fill in the low-end gaps with slick, creative bass lines. The best example is "It's Myself Vs. Being a Man," a big, expansive song that heavily relies on LaRussa's melodic, progressive playing, clean singing and prominent bass parts.

All things considered, I Swear is a reputable record, rife with sizable, satisfying songs. Nothing terribly special, but far from offensive.

Inhale Exhale - It's Myself vs. Being a Man

You can pick up a copy here.