In Pieces "Lions Write History" CD
[Escape Artist]
I'm not entirely sure of the complete list of lineup changes that In Pieces has undergone since "Learning to Accept Silence" was released three years ago, but above all else they secured a new vocalist during that time, which is sure to change any band's sound to some degree.  Thankfully these guys have weathered the change perfectly, and the soaring vocal harmonies that dominate this record (with occasional forays into intense screaming, mind you) lead the charge for a more refined sound that remains tied to the band's earlier incarnation, while exploring a direction that's both a bit more intricate as well as more streamlined - meshing forceful indie rock and a louder, heavier edge with a contemporary "alternative" rock side.  What this means is that you'll find your fair share of memorable choruses and fairly basic chord progressions, but you'll also find elaborately layered guitar riffs that sweep from lush clean passages and spacey effects to powerful distorted breaks and a great blend of angular playing and slick melodies.  On occasion the variety can miss the mark - for example, some of the Police-isms in "Juarez, Mexico" are a bit fumbled for, though not to the point where they do irreparable damage - but for the most part this is a rock solid offering that should land the band in a rightfully focal position considering what can achieve "popularity" in the present musical climate (Both Victory and Equal Vision Records are likely seethingly jealous of Escape Artist's mighty catch with this one!).  But make no mistake, these are not three-minute pop songs.  Not by a stretch.  In fact, most of the songs inch up on five minutes or more, and for every catchy number like "A Miracle" (certainly the best choice for an opening cut), there are a couple more adventurous tunes like the aptly titled "Age of Oceans", which densely layers curiously rhythmic clean riffs over pulsing basslines and sparse percussion before bringing in the cascading distortion.  And what about "Completely Inevitable"?  More than nine minutes with numerous shifts in dynamics covering the bases from a solid foundation of traditional indie rock (on the dryer side) and plenty of staccato chord progressions to extended instrumental passages that have a looser and almost noisy feel - all while maintaining a strong energy level that makes for one of the best tracks herein!  Like "Juarez, Mexico", the calmer "Night of the Long Knives" has some weird reggae sounding influences or something going on, but this is a much more linear and brooding track, therefore more efficiently embedding those aspects into a larger pool that also includes acoustic guitars and a forceful build into brief distortion.  I'm not into the typical pull-off runs in "No Letter, No Note" (among the only loose associations with actual "metalcore" on the entire disc); but the use of acoustic guitars, harmonics, and subtle detail in this piece almost lends a progressive rock vibe to elements of the song - influences that seep in deeper when combined with the unexpected proliferation of math rock in the nearly seven-minute closer "True and False Guilt".  The recording sounds damn good to me.  I could argue that the singing is a hint too loud, but barely, and when the dude's at his finest (i.e. letting loose with the incredible harmonies) it makes little difference.  The harsher vocal work falls farther in against the music as well, so they've been considerate of the big picture.  The rhythm section sounds amazing however, and the guitars are aptly crisp and fluid.  I wouldn't change very much about the sound quality in any way.  There's definitely a real sense of quality to that element of the disc.  The layout looks really nice and uses a consistent color scheme that works well with the subtly layered imagery to kind of give it a worn and withered feel.  I'm also pretty into a lot of the lyrical passages, as the content is personal, yet not direct enough to be overly specific, and there are definitely a lot of lines that are far more creative than most bands of this general nature: "Who is on my side?  I am left alone with the beating of my heart in the center of the earth.  And hatred is the most passionate form of love.  And I still have that in spades, forever lights out."  When all is said and done this is likely a bit of a transitional record that sees the band honing their chops on a slightly revised form of songwriting, and I imagine they're still settling in to some degree, despite the fact that the record has been shaped in one way or another over the course of a few years.  But that suits me fine, because this is a keeper.  A little too long, but a keeper... and it's probably safe to assume that their next record's gonna be a major whopper.  I'm looking forward to it. (7/10)
Running time - 52:34, Tracks: 10
[Notable tracks: A Miracle, Completely Inevitable, Night of the Long Knives]
Escape Artist Records - http://www.escapeartistrecords.com

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