In a world where everything seems a little bit crazy right now, music is always there to help find an escape, and that’s where InRetrospect come in with ‘AGGRO - THE MIXTAPE’.
Hailing from Leeds, InRetrospect's British-metalcore-meets-djent sound was started in late 2019 by guitarists James and Jerome, eventually completing their lineup with Nathan, Tobias and Geromme who come together to provide melodic guitars and screaming vocals, making this is a real treat for fans of metalcore, djent, and post-hardcore alike. With their brand of music they're giving the alt scene just what it needs right now, and was more than worth the wait.
‘SWEARDOWN’ opens up the mixtape which really sets the pace for the entire running time, being full of catchy melodic riffs and vocal hooks it is the perfect track to kickstart the ensuing chaos. This leads into ‘IN VAIN’ which is filled with catchy riffs and heavy vocals, making it the perfect track to follow on with before going seamlessly into ‘MiSunderSTooD’, which is more of a melodic track showcasing the bands powerful but dark vocals. This first half of the mixtape really sets the tone for what we should expect from the band, setting powerful, bouncy riffs to big drum beats and talented displays of screaming and singing across the first three songs.
The second half begins with ‘OUTCAST (SO WHAT?)’, which gives away its lyrical content in the title, describing a feeling that most people in the alternative community can really identify with - "This time I'm gonna disobey", and "Disguise me as something I'm not" stood out as particularly poignant moments here, amongst the screams and the guitar lines. ‘BETTER SELF’ is another awesome track with a great combination of riffs and vocals that discusses whether it’s ok to better yourself, which has long been an important and under-highlighted topic of conversation around mental health. An ode to anyone who is struggling right now - a powerful song that should definitely be spun a couple times.
The final track on this great mixtape is ‘MY.OWN.SKIN’ which was the lead single from ‘AGGRO’ and is yet another track filled with an excellent mix of dark, melodic riffs alongside a mixture of angry, gritty vocals. One lyric that really stands out is "Trapped in my own skin" which more people than ever can surely relate to in modern society. A great track to end on, giving the band plenty of breathing room to evolve their style and expand their scope but simultaneously setting up shop and baring their hearts with a certain sonic brand that'll likely become a household sound if they keep up releasing with this consistency.
The whole mixtape has an early 2000’s metal feel, showing off plenty of influence and inspiration however InRetrospect have really hit the nail on the head to create their own sound out of it, with the perfect mix of catchy riffs and dark punchy vocals on each track. All in all, this is an incredible mixtape from InRetrospect, and we're looking forward to seeing what these guys get up to next with their fresh take on the UK metal scene.
Best songs - MY.OWN.SKIN, BETTER SELF
AGGRO - The Mixtape will be released September 6th on Passion Eight Records.
Words: Lisa York
Cover Photo: InRetrospect
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