ALBUM REVIEW: Mother – In This Moment

Dawning into their fifteenth year of music, IN THIS MOMENT are delving into a new era with their latest offering, Mother. The seventh studio album is arguably their most creative endeavour yet, relying heavily on its bold religious concepts and diverse instrumental backing that lead guitarist Chris Howorth has dubbed their “heaviest album” since 2012’s Blood.

The core of this album is its conceptual narrative. Religion has always been subjected to interpretations, especially in metal i.e. Holy War by THY ART IS MURDER, however, this album offers listeners a unique perspective of religion through the unfamiliar female gaze. Rather than hailing to a heavenly father, this album’s appraisal is of Mother who Maria Brinks devotes herself to both in the title track and in God Is She. Turning the tables of traditional religious language, this album bases itself in the idea of spirituality but uses the language of the album, both in the track names and lyrics, to bring an overarching feminine theme i.e. God Is She, The Red Crusade and especially in Mother where it proclaims “mother forgive us for our sins, for we know not what we do.” This would support Brink’s claim that the character of “Mother” is like Mother Maria, “but also Mother Earth. Mother is the key to life.”

Symbolism is rife and should be appreciated, for example, The Red Crusade nods to the religious war between the 11th to 17th century but one might argue that calling it the “red” crusade might be the band’s way of bringing a maternal touch to it, similar to how Margaret Atwood symbolises red with fertility in her novel The Handmaid’s Tale. The In-Between is one track the really helps assert a female presence within the album as it debates conflict between “Mother” and “Father”, with the lyrics noting the positive influence mother has. There are sprinkles of subtle notes in songs, such as the church organ in Holy Man, the sound of what one might think is a baby’s heartbeat on a sonogram in Born In Flames and what appears to sound like a war siren in The Beginning, that might fly under the radar but help to establish the theme and essentially hit the nail on the head.

This album sought after expansive techniques to amplify the concepts, making it creative and refreshing. The variation between The In-between or Hunting Grounds and Lay Me Down or Into Dust are so drastic but highlight the band’s versatility both instrumentally and especially in Maria Brink’s vocal capabilities that effortlessly transition from harmonies into full-blown screaming. Whilst the track does have its mouth-watering ‘heavier’ moments as promised, a glimmering moment within the album is its soulful, sombre tracks. Legacy, Born In Flames and Into Dust, while still layered with instrumental backings, centralise vocals to carry the track and give it a transcendent, god-like feeling because of Brink’s hypnotising vocals that are caressed by angelic harmonies. But it’s rowdier tracks come for the fans who demanded heavier, bringing obliterating wrath of gruelling heavy metal. Seen best in The In-Between and Hunting Grounds, these tracks bring a hellishly darker side to the album that callbacks to their beloved, riff-gnawing metal sound.

The essence of femininity is best highlighted in the female power-anthem cover We Will Rock You, originally performed by QUEEN. IN THIS MOMENT have completely reinvented the track and much like MARILYN MANSON‘s cover of Sweet Dreams, they have made this a totally new song. On the front, it might seem like another cheesy cliché cover, but the track feels like a triumphant war cry that’s empowered by the astounding vocals of Lzzy Hale and Taylor Momsen. What’s most appreciated is that this isn’t just another feature song and it doesn’t feel boring or typical, each vocalist owns their part and brings their individual flair to the song that makes it utterly beautiful, and undeniably one of the best covers of the song.

Perhaps the only criticism is that some songs felt somewhat flat. After the victorious climax in its opening, As Above So Below and Born In Flames felt a bit lackluster on first listen. When promised the heaviest album yet one could expect guitar solos and breakdowns flying across the board, but after repeatedly going over the tracks you can find the beauty within a slow-rolling metal song that doesn’t rely on screaming to be as obvious or upfront.

Mother is an immersive experience that leaves you feeling out-of-body, it’s crafty in how it executes its concepts and does not hold back both vocally and instrumentally. Arguably one of IN THIS MOMENT‘s best albums to date.

Rating: 9/10

Mother is set for release on March 27th via Atlantic Records.

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