Inhale Exhale - Movement

What I loved about Inhale Exhale's previous two albums (I Swear and Bury Me Alive) was the band's ability to be different from the norm. Still all metalcore but there was that intangibility about Inhale Exhale that separated them from the pack. While their peers got more recognition, Inhale Exhale seemed to hold themselves to a higher standard of creativity and musicianship.

Movement though.... Movement is missing something.

For starters, John LaRussa's riffs and writing seems different. The guitar riffs were always interesting and an integral part of the sound that made Inhale Exhale a standout. And while there are some killer riffs and interesting riffs on Movement, they're not out front in the mix and the driving force to the songs. 

The other thing is the arrangement on a couple of tracks. Aesthetics kicks off the record but it sounds clunky. Like the band isn't all playing the same song on the intro. The same is true for parts of Party Drama, where I just feel like someone has gone off on a tangent and isn't keeping in line with the rest of the band. 

Having said all that, it's not a bad record. Inhale Exhale still brings their own original twist to the metalcore genre and have put out by far the best record on Red Cord Records. 

If you're looking for a different spin on metalcore, Movement is the record to check out. But as a long time Inhale Exhale fan, the record falls a little flat for me.