Originally written for Destructive Music.

In the end of 2011 Massacre Records closed a deal with a German modern metal band – or Metal 2.0, using their own words – and just like a baby, “Inhaling Blackness – Reflecting Light” saw the world-light of day almost nine months later.

In a very rough and overall description, I SPIT ASHES interlace some industrial synths with a melodic metalcore structure. “N.D.X.” is that typical keyboard intro, softly building anticipation for what you know won’t be soft at all. Then a growl from Benedikt Rathsmann, linking the last seconds of “N.D.X.” to the first ones of “Missper”, and the rhythm thrashes away. They use some keys of “N.D.X.” in the more melodic parts of “Missper”, resulting in something somewhat dark, ominous, and yet catchy. Blackness and light, just like the album title.

“Cracks In The Mirror” is generically more powerful – the riffs, the bridges, the chorus, all of it sounds stronger and heavier than the previous track. Curious enough, it was “Crossing The Borderline” that made it to a video – the track that least impressed me. Chipper indeed, but I don’t know… They did better in the other tracks. Even if the goal was a less-harsh-but-still-harsh-enough song, “Eclipse” would do it better.

“One Star Per Tear” is an instrumental piece as melancholic as its title, preceding what it’s probably the fastest track in the album, “Error Concept”. The slowest is definitely “My Ulisses”, the proverbial power ballad with the ability of hitting you deep.

I SPIT ASHES clearly know what they’re doing and as far as modern metal goes, “Inhaling Blackness – Reflecting Light” has my approval stamp.

Label: Massacre Records

Track list:

1. N.D.X.
2. Missper
3. Cracks In The Mirror
4. Eclipse
5. Crossing The Borderline
6. One Star Per Tear
7. Error Concept I
8. Towards The Sun
9. My Ulisses
10. When Daylight Dies
11. Moonray Guidance

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