On Friday, March 27th metal band In This Moment released their seventh album Mother via Atlantic/Roadrunner Records! The much-anticipated followup to 2017’s Ritual, Mother takes the listener on a philosophical journey that demonstrates the stylistic evolution the band has been on ever since their inception in 2005. In This Moment–comprised of lead singer Maria Brink, co-founder and lead guitarist Chris Howorth, bassist Travis Johnson, guitarist Randy Weitzel, and drummer Kent Dimmel–continues to demonstrate why it is one of the dominant forces on the metal scene through this work!
After an intro, the album gets into a haunting rendition of the Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like An Eagle.” An established band starting an album with a cover can be a risky move, but In This Moment–and the vocal powerhouse that is Maria Brink–truly make this version their own and it fits with the rest of the album. A few songs later, the listener gets another cover as Lizzy Hale of Halestorm and and Taylor Momsen of the Pretty Reckless support Brink and the rest of the band in covering Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” This cover stays true to the original yet encapsulates the talents of the three vocalists as well as guitarist Howorth.
The real standout on the album is the first release “The In-Between.” There is so much to this song the listener can relate to on a personal level and on a philosophical level. The opening lyrics “My mother said that I was holy/my father said that I would burn” get to the struggle immediately. In the chorus, Brink screams, “I’m going to bring a little hell/I’m going to bring a little heaven” and these lines personify the struggles many may experience whether it be decisions or beliefs. Please check out the official video for “The In-Between” below:
“The In-Between” leads directly into “Legacy”, one of the other great tracks on the album. The chorus contains some of the most powerful lyrics on the album: “We are one, reborn free/I am you and you are me/You sacrificed everything/I am and alway will be your legacy”. In both sound and meaning, it is a beautiful track!
Another track featuring a guest performance (Joe Cotela of Ded) is “Hunting Ground.” Cotela and Brink compliment each other perfectly on this track, which continues the theme of a struggle in identity introduced by “The In-Between.” Brink and Cotela take turns in the chorus singing “One of us is going down/Let’s do this anyway” in what I picture as a mental struggle one is having in his or her own mind, but as with most things In This Moment writes, it’s open to interpretation!
I have been a fan of In This Moment ever since their inception, so I may be biased but I give this album a 10/10! The lyrics are very deep and powerful and easy for the listener to relate to. The band went a bit back to their roots on this album with guitar solos and all the members demonstrate the talents that truly make this one of the unique bands in the industry today!
Track Listing:
- The Beginning (Interlude)
- Fly Like An Eagle
- The Red Crusade (Interlude)
- The In-Between
- Legacy
- We Will Rock You (featuring Lizzy Hale and Taylor Momsen)
- Mother
- As Above So Below
- Born in Flames
- God is She
- Holy Man
- Hunting Ground (featuring Joe Cotela of Ded)
- Lay Me Down
- Into Dust
Finally, please check out more on In This Moment on the following socials:
https://www.inthismomentofficial.com/
https://www.facebook.com/officialinthismoment/
https://twitter.com/OfficialITM?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
https://www.instagram.com/inthismomentofficial/?hl=en
