Artist: Inertial
Album: Orenda
Label: Independent
Release Date: 08/01/2021
Country: United States
Let’s take a look at Inertial and his second album Orenda, which was independently release today.
Inertial is a one-person post metal/shoegaze/progressive/ambient project from Connecticut, from the mind of Jackson Searfoss. He writes, records, mixes, and master all of the material himself. Orenda is his second and sister album to his debut release, Eunoia and follows his Chroma EP. Both albums although they are instrumental, were written in a way to convey an aura of self-discovery.
As mentioned, the music on the album is a blend between post metal and shoegaze and as such focuses primarily on crafting an immersive and deeply expressive atmosphere. Thrown into the mix are ambient and progressive elements, which are a logical addition to an album of this nature. The instrumental work on the album is extremely well crafted and the songwriting is pretty damn impressive, something you would hope for with an instrumental album.
There are a wide range of influences here as far as the mixture of styles and textures on the album go. While this may be a post metal album overall there are some definite prog rock elements thrown into the mix, both classic (i.e. Rush) and more modern (i.e. Tool). These influences are subtle though, and don’t overpower the core elements of the album. The guitar work is extremely varied and shifts between simpler yet moving atmospheric styles to more technical and fast paced segments. The bass on the album is also impressive and adds plenty of added depth to the music and even shines through on its own in several segments. The drum work is exactly what it needs to be and compliments and fills in the music perfectly.
There is also a sort of spacey texture to the whole album, something otherworldly that is present in the atmosphere created on the release. This may tie into the intended focus of the album, which was to create an aura of self-discovery, which is easy to confuse with a general aura of discovery (hence the spacey vibe). Do not think though that because this is an atmosphere focused album it’s going to be ‘boring and slow and quiet’ because it’s very far from any of those things. The energy and pace on the release is every changing, from slower more brooding parts which focus on developing atmosphere, to higher energy, more upbeat and fast paced sections with more of a technical focus in its composition. Overall, these varied segments are what makes the album so diverse and interesting, it ensures that you never feel like you’re listening to the same song twice.
So, if you’re looking for music to lose yourself in, this may be just the album you’ve been seeking. Take some time and sit down and listen to this in full, from start to finish, it’s a journey you’ll be glad you took.
Listen to and order the full album below:
Bandcamp:
