Following their previous demo which received a mixed response, Inbox return with a palatable selection of songs having now focused and honed their skills some more. Gone are the rap rock cliche's and in their place are a sentimental and at times bruising multi pronged presence. The vocals bring to mind Taproot, a comparison that is especially prevalent on the track "Promises" as they blend visceral screams into harmony driven vocals, yet whilst this is hardly a new approach they execute it to perfection.
The inventive guitar work is what perhaps separates them from the masses as it swoons from gentle licks to abrasive distortion with drums crashing gracefully around it, and a bassist that is happy to underpin the entire operation in a discrete manner. Something that was stressed in the prior review is this bands chemistry and it is no more evident than it is now as the instruments go about complimenting each other rather than fighting for prominence.
My only gripe with what's on offer here is that it tends to be a bit lethargic sounding and as such can become a bit sluggish even within the short space of this 16 minute disc. Also the songs aren't overly different but in singer Bucky they have both a precious vocal talent and a knack for writing great lyrics and subject matter. To sum it up though, Inbox have filled the boots of other Dallas, TX area favorites Ethynol in creating a satisfying blend of emo/metal and what's more gives us the perfect excuse to check out the local scene while trying to score with a Dallas Cowboy Girl.
(3.5 / 5)
Brian Webb