Review Summary: Stronger Faster - Rebuilder
Welcome to truly atmospheric metalcore. The glimmering jewel of the backdrop collides and infuses with the front wall of heavy riffs. A tantalizing juxtaposition, and not something often done in an especially spacey way. Volumes blew minds in their early days, but since then I’ve been chasing ghosts. ERRA’s Drift is perhaps the best/last example I can think of for truly spacey metalcore. Counterparts’ A Eulogy for Those Still Here was scratching a surface but not overtly taking a rocket boost into spacey atmospherics. I could name a few more albums from last year, beginning with thoughtcrimes’ Altered Pasts which actually made me feel for a second. Here come Invent Animate in 2023 with a table crashing effort that may not be topped this year in terms of spacey metalcore. I’m caught off guard to say the least, and if you mention any recent metalcore band that does sci-fi “whizzle wurp” sounds in the same breath as this band I will kick you off the plank.
The ambience showering their sound is neither too little or much, it’s just right like Goldilock’s porridge. The newly washed scalp of atmospherics perfectly compliments the riffs but doesn’t overtake the mix. It sounds great and pulled me in like a vortex. Without the spacey soundscape the album wouldn’t be as compelling. It provides a sponge for the clean vocals to soak in the moisture, and the harsh vocals are complimented by its white noise effect. The melodies also enjoy the glittering presence of the guitar fountain. Altogether, it’s a win win that’s stunning and blends utterly smoothly.
Just another metalcore release or something special — It’s both, but that’s the fun part. It sounds as though it was part of my childhood, yet has that modern smell. I could say that about a lot of albums, but this one hit different. Engaging, beautifully recorded (and fun) riffs are a given, and the frontman’s scream-singing is impossible to shake off. There are moments where the scream-singing is overbearing and not pleasant to listen to, but thankfully such moments aren’t too often. Overall, Invent Animate create a piercing, soaring sound that works and sounds pretty unique. The clean singing is the strawberry dipped in this spicy chocolate fondue.
There are breakdowns, and though generic, they often came at me in unexpected ways. The same can be said for the riffs, but they have a great bounce and weight to them like a trampoliner in the sweet spot. I have more analogies but I’ll leave them for now (you’re welcome mynameischan). Invent Animate managed to keep me emotionally invested throughout this album, and subsequently had me skylarking in nostalgia. It is a beautiful sound, a captivating album, and one that gets better with repeated listens.
