Album Review

In This Moment – The Dream

• 31st Mar 2009

For the first time since Amy Lee (Evanescence) donned a wedding dress on tour, has a female front lady looked as fresh, adventurous and compelling as Maria Blink, the leader of this churning, haunting and atmospheric merging Albany troupe. The latter quality is used to introduce In This Moment through the eerie, hovering vocal filtered and low-key percussion gliding ‘The Rabbit Hole’, giving the listener a chance to brace themselves for what is to follow.

Brink seems to know exactly how to draw attention to the band, without removing any of the mystery surrounding this debut album. By using the sauntering anthemic, melody turning and mood building single ‘Forever’, this build up to this gripping full length. These teasing churners will have helped to lure in a few of the meek and mild variety, priming them for the shock of their lives.

The friendly rock coating is chucked into the nearest puddle when the gritty metal and old school rocking ‘All For You’, bears out a bleeding heart and a cynical stripe. Making the transition to rambunctious metal flirting and Brink’s well time vocal howling through ‘Mechanical Love’, slightly underhand and a little devious.

Percussionist, Jeff Fabb uses controlled force and focus to show the value of the rest of the band, by taking responsibility for the tempo surge in, ‘Her Kiss’. Jesse Landry, also puts in a prominent performance in the post rock spliced show of mystery, desperation and heart, as his bass bounces along contrasting with Blink’s pedestrian, hovering vocal command.

Momentum changes are more frequent than in a Murray V Nadal tennis match. Something that is deftly displayed in the searching, poetic and uplifting ballad, ‘Into The Light’. Stirring vocal clarity helps to underline the meaningful, mortality questioning and soul searching lyrics;

“And I still believe in the good and I still believe in the light. And I wanna feel the sun, I wanna free you tonight….. When I’m falling watching as your holding and down here I’m on my knees. How can I survive? Then you told me and promised me your ready and tell me you’ll be waiting?”

Some metalcore spirited rebellion and narcissism bolts through, ’The Great Divide’ representing the band at their most cutting edge, as moments of fierce snarling are punctuation by shrill hopeless cries. This album will test the variety pallet of even the most outrageous rock fan.

With over half the numbers on this ranging debut album, weighing in at past the four minute mark, it is In This Moment’s ability to toy with the mood in song that is most refreshing and well worked. Blink’s best vocal performance comes in the foraging ‘The Dream’, as she glides her voice condor like over the calming low-key, trickling guitar led instrumental.

A debut that is so contrasting, lyrically compelling, thought provoking and energy providing is both depressing for the fact that is so rare and refreshing for its ballsy and free spirited approach to music making. Cue the cheap play on words; Blink-In-Heck.