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Consume And Waste

    
       
       
       
     
             
Inner Urge are a heavy/power metal band from Canada formed by multi instrumentalist Matt Whitehead, releasing the bands debut album 'Consume And Waste' in 2022...    
             
...featuring Matt on all instruments, with Berzan Onen (Ascraeus, ex Preludium Fury) taking charge of vocal duties. The album is nine songs and fifty minutes of hard hitting heavy metal, following in the footsteps of countrymen Borealis, Skull Fist, Unleash The Archers, Striker, and Iron Kingdom - 'Consume And Waste' bursting into life with the energetic and traditional sounding metaller 'I'll Overcome'...and an opening "metal scream" from singer Berzan - the kind of scream that the likes of Rob Halford (Judas Priest) and Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) made synonymous with heavy metal. The old school feel is incredible, 'I'll Overcome' storming on with the classic "foot on the monitor" intensity. What an absolutely blinding start to your debut album! 'I Am Inside' makes a heavier entrance than the album opener, and again features an old school feel - the band boldly showing where their inspiration comes from...over four thousand miles away in the birthplace of heavy metal - the UK. And more precisely, the decade of metal evolution, the glorious eighties.    
             
Inner Urge feature the guitar sound of the iconic NWOBHM - an instantly recognisable sound for any old school metal head (me included), 'Liberate Your Mind' is more mid tempo than either of the two previous songs, yet doesn't lack any of the intensity of the album so far - the band giving every listener the opportunity to head bang along to everything 'Consume And Waste' has to offer. Picking up the pace and speeding on furiously, 'Stand Strong' is a mouth watering march of magnificent metal - the band echoing the power driven style of metal gods Judas Priest. The head bang ability is at one hundred percent, with every mosh pit everywhere a blurred mass of rocking heads and fists punching the air. With its forty second mellow intro belying its barnstorming nature, 'A Matter Of Time' is the most thunderous song heard so far. The heaviness and sheer weight of 'A Matter Of Time' is mixed with just the right amount of melodious intent to create an atmosphere of excitement deep in the hearts of metal heads everywhere. And there is no shortness of excitement contained within 'Consume And Waste', the album marching on with the thundering 'Never Forsaken' - and a pace and power that once again echoes the power driven metal of 'Priest. Inner Urge are everything that a metal traditionalist could ever wish for - and that includes yours truly! I grew up as a teenager during the eighties, falling in love with the likes of 'Maiden, 'Priest, Accept, Grave Digger, Helloween and Canada's very own Anvil...and I would happily place 'Consume And Waste' among any of the albums by all these legendary bands.    
             
With no let up in intensity or old school flavour, the album storms on with the fast and furious 'Chosen One', pounding the pavement with jack hammer heaviness - and an aggression level higher than heard anywhere else on 'Consume And Waste'. Have Inner Urge made a late charge for Album Of The Year? Maybe, just maybe - but it's possible the band may be crowned Best Newcomer Of The Year, or even be honoured with the Best Debut Album Of The Year award! 'Fight For Every Breath' features the classic gallop of 'Maiden - circa the early eighties - the band thundering forth with an up front and in your face intensity that just doesn't go away. Inner Urge maintaining a "listen to me" attitude that every metal head from all around the world are gonna answer with a roaring "hell yeah". 'Consume And Waste' is a definite must have for fans of classic heavy metal - and anyone who loves Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Accept would be a damn fool not to add this album to their collection. Bringing a barnstorming fifty minutes to a close is the bustling 'Relentless Quest' - the longest song on offer clocking in at six and a half minutes in length. And the most infectious too - the band quite possibly leaving the best 'til last. But then, every song on offer has been infectious, addictive and head bang-able - very hard to choose a favourite...so I won't. The whole album has been superb, one surprise after another from start to finish.    
             
Overall, a terrific album of heavy hitting and infectious heavy metal, Inner Urge have delivered one of the biggest surprises of the year.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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