Band: Dripback
Title: Inhaling The Ashes
Label: Siege Of Amida Records
Distribution: Siege Of Amida Records
Release date: June 06th 2011
Review: EP

London-based Dripback were formed by Luca Drax (ex-Ted Maul / Incarcerated / As She Screams), along with his Ted Maul-colleague Hellhog (at this moment active as well in Pure Negative), River Freshney’s colleagues Wez4 and Lee4, and Adam Da Rat, formerly involved with Stampin’ Ground, Labrat, God Forbid and Ted Maul as well. They contacted super-producer Russ Russell (think: Leng Tch’e, Samael, Napalm Death, Brujeria, Dimmu Borgir) and in forty eight hours only, the Inhaling The Ashes EP (18:18 minutes) got registered for eternity.
Inhaling The Ashes brings a Metal-injected form of Grind-inspired Hardcore, which does include elements from Punk at the one hand, and Thrash / Death Metal at the other. The songs vary a lot in speed (even though the focus is fast-beating) and they do come with many tempo-changes, slow-downs and accelerations. The melodies as well are diverse (technical, straight-forward, thrashing, atmospheric etc.), yet each time with the certainty of old school-tributing as constant.
This project combines the best intentions of experienced individuals with a same-minded goal, and the result is rather successful, I need to say. It does not convince me whole the time (especially some repetitive drum patterns bore the sh*t out of me), yet not many bands that combine Hardcore with (Death) Metal succeed to create some masterpieces (example: Dilapidated Soul, with a perfect outro, or the fine technical riffs and darkened Doom-atmosphere within Distrust).

85/100

Ivan Tibos.