INNERWISH - NO TURNING BACK

Soaring out of Greece arrives Innerwish, power metal with soaring vocal melodies, driving rhythms and a message of hope. This is the bands first release for the Swedish label Ulterium, also the home of Sinbreed and Audiovision. Not having heard Innerwish prior to the release I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The album is entitled No Turning Back

What I discovered was that Innerwish are quite capable musicians who handle their instruments with precision. The vocals provided by Babis Alexandropoulos are phenomenal, able to hit the high end of the register and provide the grit and power needed to cut through the musical barrage.

Listening to No Turning Back I was struck at how similar in style Innerwish is to Rob Rock. The song structures and arrangements take their cue from Rock’s later material. That’s not saying this is a Rob Rock clone, not at all, you might not even hear it, but to these ears it’s there like a ghost in the machine.

The authoritative guitar playing provided by Thimios Krikos and Manolis Tsigos is dominant throughout. Upfront and demanding of your attention they create the bedrock by which everything else is built upon. You can’t escape it, much like Indiana Jones in the snake infested Egyptian tomb, your only escape is through the wall and you don’t have a statue to pull down. However why would you want to?

A wide assemblage of power metal awaits the listener here. ‘Sirens,’ ‘Chosen Ones,’ ‘Save Us,’ are just a small sampling of the compositions here. Guitar solos, subtle keyboard arrangements and the forceful rhythm section guide one along the path that is No Turning Back.

There are several good songs and memorable melodies, yet at times the songs feel a little indistinguishable, especially on one’s first listen. As proficient a musicians as they are it seems that a bit better arranging would’ve helped the overall feel of the album. Coupled with a slightly biting midrange that has one reaching for an equalizer control (especially in my car stereo) it detracts from what could be a fine album.

This is a release that will take some effort to gain your appreciation, but that doesn’t make it all bad. If you’re a power metal aficionado you’ll want to add this to your sprawling collection I’m sure. A seven axe review because it is good, I just think it could’ve been great.

7 axes