Inclination – Unaltered Perspective
Release Date: 21st October 2022
Label: Pure Noise Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Hardcore, Metal.
FFO: Judiciary, Jesus Piece, Trail of Lies.
Review By: Ryan Payne
Midwest hardcore 5-piece Inclination are up next with their debut record “Unaltered Perspective”. The boys’ pride themselves on having a sound that strongly resonates with the old-school era of hardcore, and their music speaks for itself. The debut album is 11-tracks filled with anger and rage, pummelling the ears of anyone listening and leaving no survivors.
From the first track to the last, this album doesn’t stop bringing the pain as Inclination deliver numerous damaging riffs, alongside drumming that plays like a kick to the head. Every track goes hard and the blend of all aspects from the musicians makes this a pure force of a record. The old-school sound is clearly the bands Achilles heel, and they’ve perfected their technique while making it sound fresh to the listeners. Guitarists Peter Katter and Isaac Hale (who is also in Knocked Loose) have combined brutal hardcore riffs alongside metallic elements, such as harrowing clean melodies and piercing leads, and have created an album that is enjoyable and accessible to both metal and hardcore fans, new and old.
One of the other signature elements to Inclinations aggressive sound is vocalist Tyler Short, who delivers a consistent performance throughout and doesn’t hold anything back. The vocal element on “Unaltered Perspective” is one of the main reasons this album stands out, giving an old school sound a more modern approach with vocals that ring with modernism while still keeping the raw aggression. Tyler had this to say about the general theme of the album:
“The aim of Unaltered Perspective was to capture the anguish and sadness wrought by a series of observations and lived experiences, Frustration from being at the mercy of a society that treats people as a commodity, or the despair of a friend throwing their life away for nothing. The record is about looking at these experiences as an opportunity for self-reflection and growth, and making a conscious decision to not let your past limit your future. It’s about finding the strength to keep fighting.”
Inclination is definitely an exciting band to listen to and have created a very enjoyable debut album. Everything from the mix to the message makes this one of the stronger contenders to come out of hardcore from recent years. “Unaltered Perspective” has the potential to do wonders for these boys, such as supporting some of the bigger names in hardcore, or even get them into unknown territories across the world. Only time will tell, and I can’t wait to see what they do next. 
(4 / 5)
