ALBUM REVIEW: In Gravity – Shrapnel
Something isn’t beautiful because it lasts. In the case of seasoned vets SHRAPNEL, their indomitable stint bearing the flag of purebred thrash came to an end with the departure of vocalist Aarran Tucker – a saddening loss at a time when the band was efficably serving the nation’s appetite for the genre’s revival. In his wake, the vacuum was entrusted to another to fill, a new set of hands to grasp the mantle, and these are safe hands indeed. As a result, SHRAPNEL’s fourth LP In Gravity plays to the tune of reincarnation – a joyous rebirth that solidifies the band rightfully at the forefront of the UK’s metal scene.
But what is In Gravity? Four years on from the band’s previous outing, Palace For The Insane, it sees a very different SHRAPNEL emerge from slumber. Yet, slumber would belie the band’s efforts as SHRAPNEL have worked themselves to the bone, meticulously tearing down and rebuilding their identity, taking what was once a great thrash outfit into a staggering master of all. In practice, you have a consistently strong slab of modern metal, offering 12 instances of carnage as the worlds of death metal, metalcore, thrash, and a dash of prog collide in the most sublime cacophony. The results speak loudly for themselves, but the album’s glowing endorsements alone are enough to raise eyebrows. Production from engineering wizard Jens Bogdren, author of countless classics from OPETH to VILDJARTA, and a gate-opening feature from WHILE SHE SLEEPS screamer Scott Kennedy? You need not hit ‘play’ to know that In Gravity pulls few punches.
While the band certainly refuse to be chained to their past, In Gravity revisits the quartet’s ‘banger-after-banger’ approach and avoids fixing what wasn’t broken. It makes for a flurry of four-minute ragers, save a couple, while accomplishing the almost impossible task of instilling a distinct, consistent sound, without ever becoming stagnant. For instance, Guardian is a much more traditional thrash ‘n’ bash crash course, while Judgement prefers to soothe than savage its listeners, and Absolution is allowed more time to breathe as it explores non-linear, progressive landscapes. Uniting them all, however, is a masterclass in hook-writing. It’s rare in 2024 to find a 12-track album where each single can be committed to memory, but the anthemic chorus melodies of Amber Screams or the double-time joy that is Follow The Cold truly catapult the band ahead of the competition.
This is also a rather serious album. In Gravity wants you to know SHRAPNEL’s new chapter isn’t written with erasable ink, but stained with sweat and blood. Palace For The Insane was a brilliant record which revelled in its moments of pantomime. Tracks like Cannibal snarled with a glint in its eye and Turn Off The Lights, despite its morbid narrative, is a genuinely fun thrasher. In Gravity, by contrast, demands to be taken seriously. From the off, the title track creeps in with a haunting wail before exploding into a charge and erupting once more with Scott Kennedy’s ferocious conviction; this isn’t the same band from 2020. This is helped by-and-large by the elephant in the room; Tucker’s replacement, Daniel Moran. SHRAPNEL has had its roster of talented vocalists but none have been as capable as Moran. Like a lovechild of Niklas Karlsson’s (ORBIT CULTURE) cleans, and a younger Mark Osegueda (DEATH ANGEL), Moran is a robust vocalist happy to navigate through each of the band’s meticulous complexities. Most importantly, he lays poignant foundations for SHRAPNEL chapters to come, reinforcing the Brits’ versatility and will to move with the tide but against the grain; contemporary, but without creative sacrifice.
Does In Gravity make for a flawless listen? Not quite. Despite their relative strengths, it’s clear that the album could benefit from a slight trim around the edges. Both Kingmaker and Breaker are fine tracks but fall folly of death by comparison, practically shrinking in comparison to their stronger neighbours, Judgement and Rust. Fitting material for B-side entries but they arguably rob the band of a far tighter tracklist.
The headline is that SHRAPNEL have returned with undeniable ferocity and intent. The band could have simply picked up from where they left off but instead have said to hell with complacency and taken their trajectory into their own hands. Entertaining from start to finish, beautifully produced and with a future of exponential growth ahead, SHRAPNEL are deservedly one of the most exciting names in UK metal.
Rating: 9/10
In Gravity is set for release on May 31st via Candlelight Records.
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