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Capturing the multi-media tour de force that is a live gig from In This Moment, and transferring it to a studio setting, is akin to capturing lightning in a bottle. In other words; damn near impossible. To simply call an In This Moment show a “gig”, is an understatement though, it’s a piece of performance art where the music works hand-in-hand with the visuals. Can the band work their magic in a studio without the visuals? Judging by the high quality of the last few albums, the answer would be a resounding yes, and ‘Mother’ continues the rich vein of form that In This Moment find themselves in.
It’s only natural to listen to ‘Mother’ (album number seven from the California based outfit) and imagine what visual delights vocalist Maria Brink and guitarist Chris Howorth have cooked up for the live show. You will have heard ‘Fly Like An Eagle’ live if you caught In This Moment on the Halestorm arena tour late last year, here, after the brief foreboden interlude of ‘The Beginning’, it serves as the opening track. A slowed down, slithering, nasty cover of the Steve Miller classic, complete with tribal drumming from Kent Diimmel and Brink’s trademark tortured vocals. Just as you are expecting the song to explode into life, it goes in the opposite direction with a sublime synth beat, before Diimmel comes back in with more pounding drums and Howorth unleashes some buzz-saw riffage. These riffs hang around for ‘The In-Between’ which is built upon great work from the engine room team of Diimmel and bassist Travis Johnson, while Howorth and fellow six-stringer Randy Weitzel combine to lay down a wall of noise. Brink mixes it up by adding some guttural vocals to the pot, and in the space of a few minutes shows why she is so highly regarded as a vocalist of some stature. Lyrically it suggests where the titular character comes from…“My mother said that I was holy; My father said that I would burn; My mother said I was an angel; My father said that I would turn.”
The mid-section of the album is where ‘Mother’ thrives. Beginning with ‘Legacy’, which borrows the synth sound from ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’, adds a delicate guitar solo that is totally unexpected, and the end result is a deeply personal song for Brink and one of the highlights on the album. A cover of ‘We Will Rock You’ is always risky, but Brink called in Lzzy Hale and Taylor Momsen to help out, and in doing so, changed what was always a boys locker-room/Friday night under the lights anthem into a call-to-arms for sisterhood. This segues nicely into the title-track, which is a perfect example of the “Lady Gaga of Metal” description that follows Brink around, it’s an apt description on what is one of Brink’s best vocal performances to date…”mother forgive us for our sins, for we know not what we do.” ‘Born In Flames’ is another moment where the synth sound is crucial, at times it swirls around the listeners head while a more traditional keyboard sound adds atmosphere to the track. Less powerful tempo wise that some of its predecessors, but as equally potent.
‘Mother’ ends with a knockout one-two which highlights how much In This Moment runs the gamut of the genre. ‘Lay Me Down’ is an ultra-catchy few minutes that scream “audience participation”, the soft baritone backing vocals and rhythmic drumming are almost hypnotic. ‘Into Dust’ brings the album to a stunning climax. The eerie intro gives way to Brink at a piano as she delivers another beautiful, delicate vocal performance. The string arrangements are towering and add a touch of melancholy to the Mazzy Star classic.
‘Mother’ is a long album that needs to be savoured in one sitting, it doesn’t work the same way if you tackle it by dipping in and out. Slip some headphones on, press play, and let it wash over you.
Available now
Review – Dave
Image on header – Jeremy Saffer
