Never include sound bites in your album. Never, ever, ever. Don't do it. I know everyone wants their Metal music to be as bad ass as possible, but I don't want to hear snippets of newscasts involving murder and death within the songs. It doesn't add anything more than superficial commentary on shit most of us are already aware of: meanies do mean things. Maybe if it were a rarity to do, but it seems like every half-inspired band wants to add sound clips and bites for the sake of making their mediocre song seem cooler than it actually would be otherwise.

Well, beyond that, INTRACTABLE is essentially that Groove / Thrash Metal stuff that PANTERA is often credited with pioneering. Of course, as with all genres spearheaded by a small group of bands, no one is ever as good as the originals. So "Inner Decay" is not particularly amazing. It's not spectacular, and it won't do your taxes or lie to the police for you. It's another release to throw into the increasingly tall mountain of the forgettable. And it's a surprisingly tall mountain. Only three more albums, and it will be worthy of journeying to the summit. Actually, it wouldn't be.

Maybe the riffage is worthy of its marks, but overall the songwriting and composition just doesn't really inspire much in me. I don't care for the vocalist doing what every single goddamned fucking vocalist does in trying with all his might to sound as badass as possible without bothering to remember that the best vocalists just do what sounds best for the music. People don't use the derisive term "cookie monster vocals" as a term of endearment for their special someone. Also, feel free to not also utilize the pinch-harmonic-at-the-end-of-each-measure cliché. The day I hear a breakdown that doesn't have that is the day I release the hostages.

Beyond that, there are some genuinely likable structures and motifs used, but it's not often enough. It makes me wonder if they are playing this genre because they really do love it, or if because the frontman wants to and everyone else got sucked into it regardless of where their true passion and talents lie.

Dammit, I apologize for being in the blank here in actually discussing the music. Reviews for something mediocre are my least favourite. You don't get to shower it with praise and love because it was awesome, and you also don't get to take a meaty shit on it because it was terrible. It makes you feel nothing. It's just there. It's like a cat that flees the room in abject terror the instant it sees you and hides behind the radiator for several days. So what is the fucking point of having the cat?

After this, I think I'll review some Black Metal or something avant-garde. I haven't given out any 2's lately, and I'm beginning to develop some withdrawal symptoms.