Centiment: Street Of Rage

Ex-Inme frontman puts anthems through the eight-bit grinder

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One of the most amazing things about music is that nobody can ever truly be written off. Centiment is a new project from Inme’s Dave McPherson and it kicks all kind of ass. Street Of Rage is packed with powerful riffing and melodic vocals that are all lovingly wrapped in eight-bit electronics.

The latter of these elements can often be an unwelcome and distracting gimmick (nobody wants Castlevania alongside their metal) but occasionally, when applied properly, adds a wholly modern spin on what are, essentially, a collection of massive hard rock anthems.

Indeed, strip away those electronic elements and you’re left with an album that falls somewhere between the harder and less pretentious side of Muse, the spit-and-sawdust fire of Enter Shikari and if 30 Seconds To Mars had some bollocks to their guitar tone.

Dave’s vocals remain an acquired taste but this is a challenging, creative affair that never lets your attention waver because of the sheer number of ideas applied here.