Artist: In-Sane
Label: Moonlee Records
Release: 2009
Runtime: 32:36
Rating: 2.8/5
In-Sane are protégés of the independent label Moonlee Records, known for always managing to dig a needle out of the haystack among the heaps of weeds in every band it signs, and for pleasantly surprising us with the plain fact that there are still bands out there who can develop naturally, in line with their talents, and so deliver proper rock with a streak of adventurousness and a recognizable sound of their own.
In-Sane are definitely a Slovenian curiosity, cultivating a currently very trendy sound that’s supposed to sit in alternative waters but has the potential for rotation on media outlets à la MTV Adria. Happy punk. Basically, it’s full-throttle thrashing with plenty of melody, and the melodic side is down to the “softened” vocals above all, backed up here and there by extra vocal harmonies. It’s all further beefed up with some typical hardcore moves (Blackout, At The Break Of A New Day), especially when it comes to the lively riffing, as well as the sped-up, unbridled rhythms of the active rhythm section, which is definitely a major generator of dynamics. The song Atocratic, Autoerotic is driven to the absolute limit in speed, and whatever you do, don’t try dancing to its rhythm, because you will definitely break your legs.
Judging by the cover and the album title, you’d expect a bit more dirt and straight-up kicking with boots to the teeth, in terms of sheer sharpness and the dissonant mayhem typical of old-school punk foundations. Instead the band comes across as bouncy, cheerful and melodic, while the hollow, melodic vocals bring in an “emo” breath. This is a band ready to storm the commercial charts abroad and a fit for opening slots for bigger bands like Rise Against. Interestingly, the band is already getting plenty of chances to present its original music abroad, which in this case is the only right policy for the band, its management and Moonlee Records alike. In Slovenia nobody will sniff them out anyway until the outside world gives them credit for their work. But that attitude of Slovenia toward its homegrown bands is the general “welcome” for every Slovenian band that wants to develop a “groove” of its own in rock (or metal).
In-Sane are good musicians. The songs are packed with energy, cohesion, flow or fluidity, and a convincing touch that likes to send adrenaline pumping through your veins when you come into contact with “Trust These Hands… Are Worthless”. In-Sane carry, or rather cultivate, a cheekily cheerful “attitude”, a harmless one, meaning they sound friendly and potentially palatable to the masses used to shoving through the crowds at festivals like Nova Rock in Austria, so with the right guidance In-Sane could be assured of wider recognition on the international scene.
The vibe captured in the songs doesn’t vary much. In other words, the songs are all of equal character. If you like one song, you’ll like the whole album. Don’t go looking for any special “depth” of musical insight here. If you love unbridled energy unleashed by a “friendly” band that barks but doesn’t bite, then In-Sane are definitely a band that will keep steering and feeding you for a good while with their deliberately sloppy-cut but melodic and lively punk core vocabulary. They’re not reinventing the wheel, and that’s why they’re actually catching the last train today to still catch the sunrays of attention on the international scene. For Slovenian standards, In-Sane are an exceptionally nice change of pace, a herald of new times that, with the winds from the West, have slowly reached Slovenia too. But it has to be kept in mind that the fact of it being a change of pace is, in this case, a feeling that can deceive. So in the future it might not hurt the band to think about bringing in a bigger dose of mockery and shaking off that dusting of sugary sweetness that otherwise spoils the look of a healthy punk character. And if they’re happy with the “groove” of “Trust These Hands… Are Worthless”, then of course they should stick with it.
Line-up
Dario – vocals, guitar
Mateja – vocals, bass guitar
Shaggie – drums
Production
Aco Razbornik & In-Sane
Track list
1. At The Break Of A New Dawn
2. Bleed (Story Of A Kid)
3. From Inside Out
4. Fail Stereo Fail
5. Blackout
6. Upon The City Lights
7. Autocratic, Autoerotic
8. Mrtev Policaj / Dead Cop
9. Red Carpet Pretenders
10. Choices Made
11. Amplify The Words
