I was eager to do this review before ever hearing a note.  Somehow, my intuition told me I could trust a band cool enough to come up with a moniker like Inside It Failed not to disappoint.   And disappoint they do not.

Any trepidation lurking in the recesses of my subconscious quickly dissipated with the first few bars of “Say Goodnight Forever”.  This song is a perfect opener for the CD, and the perfect introduction to new listeners.  The sound is polished and tight, while the attitude behind the song is raw and unfettered.  It’s heavy, and yet there are morsels of musicality embedded throughout.   It’s a showcase of the rest of the CD and the band itself.

The next song continues to expand on what you can expect from Inside It Failed.  If it weren’t for the contemporary recording quality – kudos to producer Dave Ottoson, I presume – I’d sooner believe “Down Universe” was the product of a metal outfit from mid-Texas in the mid-90s than a modern act hailing from Canada’s left coast.   It might well be the heaviest song on the album, and the most fun.

High Points

Aside from the production value, which is pristine and makes this CD worth a listen in and of itself, I’d have to say the coolest thing about this band is Doc Kohler’s voice.  He’ll seem instantly familiar, even if you’re not quite sure who he reminds you of.  Maybe it’s because this dude’s voice has so many flavors.  He can evoke the guttural growls and screams of a Phil Anselmo, fill a note like Chad Kroeger, and occasionally display shades of  Corey Taylor and even the great Brett Hestla.  Seriously, I’m pretty sure the hair on the back of my neck stood up toward the end of the title track.  I could loop the song from the 3-minute mark to the end and listen to it 20 times without it growing old.  Now, as a singer I’ve always cringed at vocal comparisons, but I also understand how useful they can be in helping someone who hasn’t heard the band get a grip on the gist.

Aside from “Say Goodnight Forever” and “Down Universe”, I consider “Leave Me Dry”, “Youth Is Gone” and “Bleeding Sun” to be the stand out tracks.  The chorus grooves in particular are things of beauty.

Also worthy of note is Brett Nussbaum’s bass tone.  Every time I hear it peak out from the mix it makes me smile on the inside.  As a music producer, I’ve always found the challenge of honing in on a bass tone with this sort of character to be elusive.  Brett’s sound is the kind of thing that makes a guitarist think – if only for a split second – that maybe they made a poor choice in opting for the six-string ax.  ’Cause, DAMN.   I was digging it in my car, but once I played the CD through my studio monitors I was sold.

Other Points

There are points on this CD where I feel like I’m missing something; like there’s a layer of awesome being hidden because the guitars are sunk into the background of the mix.  Don’t get me wrong, the drums are monstrous and Doc’s vox should be out front as the thing that lifts Inside It Failed from the pool of rock bands with a similar sound, but I can just barely hear some really cool stuff going on underneath that would make a couple tracks so much more interesting.  But such mix issues are totally subjective, and coming from a guitarist you should probably take it for what it’s worth.

As much as I prop up Kohler’s voice, I’d like to say that I’d personally like to see more substantive lyrical content.  This is one of those albums I’ll listen to purely for the music.  But that’s me.  If you spend your time focused on sex, vengeance, and interpersonal drama you’ll find in “Say Goodnight Forever” a soundtrack for your internal script.

I feel “Bleeding Sun” would have been the best possible closer for the album.  ”Lose Your Head”, the actual final track, leaves me feeling like there’s more coming.  But then I guess there is…because I’m gonna let the CD start over!  And if these boys ever make it through my home town on tour, I won’t pass up an opportunity to see them play.  The energy and attitude of this CD hint at a brutal and uplifting live show.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tim has no idea what he should write here

Five & Five: Inside it Failed

Welcome back Emurg-ers! I am thrilled to bring you all a new interview feature called the Five & Five. The Five & Five is where I’ll ask five regular questions that I’ll ask every artist and five artist specific questions so that you get to know the artist a little better. In my first Five and Five feature, I interviewed Doc Kohler, lead singer of the band Inside it Failed.

Inside It Failed is:

Doc Kohler – Vocals

Daryl Davidson – Guitars

Brett Nussbaum – Bass

Berkley MacDonald – Drums

Part I:

CFW: 1. How did you come up with the band name?

IIF:  When Brett would walk into his basement talking to Doc, he’d always immediately lose reception on his phone and the call would always fail. So until he got a new phone, we knew that when his phone cut off, he was inside his basement (Laughs). Kind of corny, but its the truth.

CFW: 2. What artists/bands/songs/albums influenced you?

IIF: Korn/Slipknot/Black Label Society/Rage Against The Machine

CFW: 3. What are you listening to right now?

IIF: Sevendust – “Inside” is on Octane right now.

CFW: 4. What’s your favorite show/performance been as a band?

IIF: The Inside It Failed CD release party at The Red Room was our biggest success to date. We filled that night club with screaming people wanting more. We’ve only grown since then.

CFW: 5. If I want people to remember one song from our band, it would be…

IIF: Say Goodnight Forever.

Part II:

CFW: 1. You guys come from one of the most exciting scenes in North America in Vancouver with bands such as Stealing Eden and The Veer Union. How does it feel to be considered among the top bands in that area?

IIF: Of course it’s incredible that we’re making heads turn! Also, to be honest, it feels earned! We’ve worked hard the last few years. Made our mistakes and fixed our weaknesses, but now we’re in a momentum that is freakishly unstoppable! It’s showing and people can see it!

CFW: 2. Why did you name your new record “Say Goodnight Forever”?

IIF: One thing that Inside It Failed was lacking was professional recordings people could listen to. People would always joke about how it took us forever to make this album, so when we were done we said goodnight to that joke.

CFW: 3. What future touring plans do you have behind the new record?

IIF: We’ve finished our Say Goodnight Forever CD release tour in late July. We are currently on our “Slap Your Mouth” Cross Canada tour. In 2012 we’re writing album two with a US tour in the early summer planned.

CFW: 4. What style do you prefer? The more melodic style of “Say Goodnight Forever” or the heavier style of “Bleeding Sun”?

IIF: Good question! I think you’ve caught that we can’t stick to one style at all. We’ve found a way to keep the melody and groove high while keeping the head blasting heaviness present. A lot of people who enjoy good music fear that bands sell out too early for a deal. We’ve never sold out, we’ve always been heavy and melodic and will always be that way!

CFW: 5. What do you want to say to people who’ve just started to listen to your band?

IIF: We know you’re out there and we know you appreciate talent when you hear it. Feast your ear buds on something that can turn the music scene around and push for it! Strength in numbers can go a long way. We poured our hearts in this. Crack a beer, have a puff and blast it loud!

I’d like to thank Doc Kohler and Inside It Failed for taking the time out to get interviewed by EMURG. In the meantime, you can check out their official website where you can download three songs for free along with a video about the making of Say Goodnight Forever.

Inside It Failed Video