Inviolate – “Inviolate” EP (2007)

Independent Release

Review by Tony Cannella

Okay, so here is a band that caught me completely by surprise. I approached Atlanta, Georgia’s Inviolate with some trepidation when I read on their bio that they were described as an industrial band. Not that I have anything against that type of music (I like a lot of it), mind you, it’s just that I don’t know if I am the most qualified person to be reviewing a band of that ilk. I’m happy to say that after listening to the 4 songs contained on this EP, my doubts were quickly put to rest. Before I delve any further into this CD, first I will introduce the band members to you. Their line-up looks like this: Bryon (Guitars), Kadria (vocals & programming) and Chris (bass). The opening track “Flatline” really gets things off on a high note. This is just straightforward with Kadria just spitting out the lyrics in rapid fire succession. This is one of the more aggressive tracks on offer here and the band really go for it. Right of the bat, this is one of my favorites. Next is “Pandora’s Box”. This song has a catchy-as-all-hell riff. Another thing that is apparent throughout the first couple of songs is that the band incorporate a healthy dose of metal to go along with the aggression. The vocals of Kadria are also very powerful and a definite strong point of the band. Not to take anything away from the other members as they all turn in fine performances. Next is “0212”. This is perhaps the most experimental track here. A bit more mid-tempo than the previous ones, but no less heavy and crunching. Some really awesome vocal melodies are put to use here and it really enhances what is already a great track. The production is very good as well as all of the members performances are accentuated without drowning anyone out. The final track is “Avalanche”. At almost 3 minutes this is the shortest song on offer here. This is just a pure sonic assault and a song that brings this CD to an energetic conclusion. Overall, I really enjoyed this CD. All 4 songs are of a high quality – both sonically and artistically. The only downside, I suppose is that it is only 13 minutes long. But Inviolate do a great job in setting the stage (for what hopefully) is to come. The band definitely has an industrial vibe going, but the label is a bit misleading, as I feel they have so much more to offer. A very cool CD and one that I will no doubt re-visit quite often.