I SUFFER INC – Chronicles Of Lost Purity

This five piece band hails from the Italian Metal scene and was the result of the collaboration between Alex and Napulesh with Val, a singer coming from the Emocore scene. Without losing precious time, the Italian pack entered the studio and recorded the full-length album Bury Me In Silence and shot their first video “Vanity” in the summer of the same year. The album remained for 3 months on top of the Vitaminic UK hit list as the most downloaded Alternative Heavy Metal song in England.

After some live shows and some line-up changes, the band started working on their second album. So, in late 2006, Chronicles of Lost Purity saw the light of the day.

After the short electronic intro that gives the false impression of an Industrial release, “Blood For Blood” enters, clearly stating that the band belongs in the Metalcore/Emocore scene. The distinct guitar riffs, the fast-paced drums, and the classic screaming and often aggressive vocals comprise I Suffer Inc’s composing/performing style. The lead guitars bear the Slayer mark with catchy, fast riffs that easily can cause someone to spend quality headbanging time. “Justify The Cross” is a song that falls in the aforementioned category, comprising some pretty good guitar chops and a faster tempo. In “Fallen Star,” the band follows the clean versus aggressive vocals pattern and adds some Heavy Metal guitar tunes. The band should work on the clean vocals … because sometimes they don’t fit the music, giving the impression of being completely out of tune.

Apart from the vocal side, these guys deliver some pretty good guitar work with catchy riffs and a compact rhythm section in songs like “Alice And The Scars” and “Vanity.” The double-drum pedaling, the clean guitar add-ons, and the catchy main melody give to “Alexa the Witch,” the best track on the album. Next is the emotional “The Justice” that brings some almost Gothic influences and a very good guitar solo. The last song of the album, “When Heart Means Murder,” comes in two parts, including some Bluesy guitar leads and fills that add some points in music diversity. The ideas presented in this song reveal the composing potential of the band that can help them get out from the short boundaries of Metalcore and create a personal sound.

Overall, Chronicles of Lost Purity floats in shallow waters, offering nothing groundbreaking apart from some interesting ideas in the guitar area. It isn’t a bad album, but due to the large number of releases in the Metalcore scene, the band needs to go further and explore their sound. Additionally, the Italians must work on the vocals to find a distinct performing style — improve on the clean side and wrap all these things in a better sound production.