Share the post "Album review: INNER STREAM – Stain The Sea"
Frontiers [Release date 16.07.21]
Produced by talented Argentinian producer, Guillermo De Medio, Inner Stream’s debut album, Stain The Sea is a minor delight of Symphonic Metal, programmed sounds and Gothic Rock.
The band is primarily singer/songwriter, Inez Vera Ortiz, who paid her dues circulating through several bands and related metal genres in her native South America. She now lives in Spain and subsequently drifted into Frontiers’ orbit, and was promptly signed up. This is the result.
De Medio has produced albums byTarja Turunen and Barilari (A Rata Blanca offshoot). Ortiz is a huge fan of Evanescense and Within Temptation, so clearly, writer and producer were on the same wavelength from the start.
It’s surprising then that some of these songs lack the strong melodies we expect, maybe the searching psychological elements in Ortiz’s lyrics are sometimes too heavy for a melody to carry. But they more than make up for that in presentation… the arrangements are light on their feet… Ortiz’s vocals skip across the slight melodies of ‘Fair War’ and ‘Aftermath’, turning them into songs about style. These are Symphonic Metal experiences that challenge audience expectations.
The Gothic rock undertones of ‘Massive Drain’ and ‘Hunt You’ are slickly presented. The melodies burn slowly, flaring brightly at the right times. De Medio double tracks Ortiz’s vocals, shadowing her natural mezzo with a whispering soprano, spicing the effect with bursts of busy guitars. It’s just one of many tricks he pulls out from his not inconsiderable producer/arranger playbook.
And so it goes with the rest of the album. It never settles into one recognisable style. De Medio makes sure of that. Like throwing pizzicato strings into one of his best pieces of writing, ‘Dance With Shades’, and counterpointing Ortiz’s doubled up vocal melodies on the atmospheric ‘Drown Me’, the nearest thing to a ballad here.
There’s never a dull moment, and even as the album spins down to a finish, ‘Real’ is there to remind us that the pairing can serve up powerful, jagged edged Symphonic Metal just as well as anybody. ***1/2
Review by Brian McGowan
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
Next session: Sunday 1 December
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 20 October 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 22 October 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024
THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)
Featured Albums w/c 28 October 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)
Popular (last 10 days)
Share the post "Album review: INNER STREAM – Stain The Sea"
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections
