Single Review: Inspades - Deadlines

My first reaction when doing a little bit of research on these guys was ‘What the hell?!!! There’s only 3 of them!??’ Their sound is just huge, which is exactly how metal should be in my book. If you’re not going for one of those mellow style tracks which bands like Sabbath use as a break on their albums, metal records so should grab you by the neck and shake the crap out of you. Melodies, guitar-based heaviness and drums you can feel pounding in your chest. That is a great metal track and that’s what Inspades have produced here.

Based in York Inspades are Stewart King (Vocals, guitar) Tom Leggot (Backing vocals, bass) and P.G Branton. (Backing vocals/drums) Here is how they describe themselves on their website;

“Inspired by their home town’s dark history, this powerful trio blend a beautifully absorbing clash of styles to produce a sound that is so much more than the sum of its parts. The road INSPADES has travelled has rarely been easy, but it is this perseverance and strength of conviction shown in the face of adversity that provides the emotion in their song writing.”

Having heard their new single Deadlines I can’t disagree with any of that. The tracks opens with a great little bass solo just before a slice of duelling melodic guitar work makes an appearance. It’s got that classic Thin Lizzy feel about it. That’s where the similarities end though because then the guitars really hit, and they hit so hard they will knock you off your feet.

The vocal veers from the downright menacing to ‘classic metal’ but most importantly its totally on point  for the entire 4 and a half minutes. Nothing overly elaborate; just straight power. The way that the track moves through its various sections of a brief bass lead break into a soaring guitar solo, and then into a short mellower section before the sledgehammer that is the main guitar and drum rhythm smacks you squarely in the face one more time is extremely impressive.

Deadlines is an absolutely exceptional metal track. Heavy yet melodic and powerful without trying too hard, the balance is perfect. Until I opened the email which contained this track I had never heard of Inspades but now thanks to this track they are going to prove impossible to forget.

Deadlines is officially released on 1^st August.