I find it a great pleasure when you listen to a new release from a band that has been around the block a couple times still able to manage to belt it out and deliver relevant material. The Greek melodic metallers InnerWish do exactly that and come back strongly and fully loaded on their self titled release.

They have grown into a reputable and influential arm of the Greek metal scene over the expanse of their existence, and that’s not including the fact that they have in addition acquired a significant finger print in the European metal scene.

InnerWish have been around since 1995 and have put out six albums including their self-titled release reviewed here. Their existences in the metal scene have seen them garner a solid reputation to deliver consistent music to a growing audience of appreciators.

Already early in their career they shared the stage with greats like Judas Priest, Manowar and Halloween just to name a few. Signing to Ulterium Records in 2010 saw their audience and influence widen, and with the release of “No Turning Back” saw their name cement further in the metal music world. Between 2010 and 2013 the band experienced a few setbacks that saw many plans postponed and put on the burner, the first being their drummer, Terry Moros who left in 2010, then in 2011 their long time singer, Babis Alexandropoulos left, and only in 2013 and over coming various other obstacles did they finally get new singer, George Eikosipentakis.

InnerWish self titled release is their best work to date, a calumniation of hard work and talent coupled with perseverance and energy. You get an album that exudes with passion and fresh in sound and quality. It has that classic metal appeal that does not dip its toes at any one point into the realm of the generic. This alone gives the album a solid strength and form to deliver a strong dose of metaldom of which any fan of the genre would appreciate and give a nod of recognition for.

This is an album that can have several plays before it will tire on the ears. It holds the metal banner with gusto, and honour. What they serve is an album of variety embossed in the ethos of old school metal anthem styled excellence. Think of bands like Savatage and Iron Maiden in their early glory days. The bar has been set, and it’s undoubtfully high. I believe that George Eikosipentakis has added an extra edge to the band, and his vocals help in aiding keeping the quality of this album high. It’s not only that his vocals are good but they compliment the music helping bolstering the energy and power of the music, giving it a solid driven feel. This is not an album you put to relax to, but instead an album to rock out on. There is not one song I could really single out as better as or worse than another, making it hard to give a justified opinion of without being conflicted. So rather than me mentioning any specific song, I would encourage you to go and listen to it, and just rely on its riff explosiveness and vocal energy to rock your brain to mush.

If one was cast with 3 words to describe this album, it would be Energy, Emotion and Power. It’s an album of 13 metal hammering songs that is a dynamite listen. The album is lengthy but it never misses a beat, and never allows you to fall asleep at the wheel at any point in the release.

Its classic heavy metal done right, and I feel it has an ability to be a measuring bar for other bands within the genre. This is hands down one of the best melodic metal albums so far for 2016, go grab a copy.

Rating: 9/10

Written by Donovan de Necker

“InnerWish” track listing
01. Roll The Dice
02. Broken
03. Modern Babylon
04. Machines Of Fear
05. Needles In My Mind
06. My World On Fire
07. Rain Of A Thousand Years
08. Serenity
09. Sins Of The Past
10. Through My Eyes
11. Zero Ground
12. Cross The Line
13. Tame The Seven Seas

Current Members:
George Georgiou – keyboards
Manolis Tsigos – guitar
Thimios Krikos – guitar
Antonis Mazarakis – bass guitar
Fragiskos Samoilis – drums
George Eikosipentakis – vocals 

Discography:
“Waiting for the Dawn” [1998]
“Realms of the Night” (split) [2000]
“Silent Faces” [2004]
“Inner Strength” [2006]
“No Turning Back” [2010]
“Innerwish” [2016]

Record Label: Ulterium Records, March 2016

Weblinks: Website / Facebook / Twitter

Buy the album here:
Holland: First Paradox
Norway: Nordic Mission

Video below: ‘Rain Of A Thousand Years’