Reviewed by Greg Sammons

After the release of last year's EP 'Awakening Vesuvius', Inked In Blood have been making a bit of a name for themselves; apparently their live set (involving slam poetry) is causing a stir too. With this new album, the band will continue to turn new heads with its grandiose design and objectives. The 12-song album is split into four stanzas (Conditions, Convictions, Confessions and Resolve), each with its own theme. The lyrics deal with concepts such as humility, humanity, compassion and life as a process, not as a product. Lyrically this four-stanza process is a great idea but musically it really bears little difference from one stanza to the other. All through, this is solid melodic hardcore with a little taste of metal and a larger dose of old school that will keep fans entertained. The standout track is the opener "All That Remains", although "These Sonnettes Of Our Lives" and "Comatose" bring something fresh to the album; I particularly enjoyed the opening on the latter. Being released on the same day and the same label as NIV's comeback album may dwarf the success of this album, but Inked In Blood have a solid fan base from which they can rely on for sales.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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