Inertia

"Streaming" (Single, 2013)

Of course, one of the benefits of Inertia lead-singer Reza Udhin also playing live keyboards for Killing Joke is, one imagines, that you can occasionally ask a colleague for a favour. So, in addition to remixes by Helalyn Flowers, Interface, Lux:Redux and Inertia themselves, this digital EP includes a remix by the legendary Youth. It's a low key start but once the chorus kicks in you can see what the idea was. But the versus lack oomph in comparison. 6/10

Rob Dyer (February 2015)

"Alive" (Single, 2012)

Metropolis

Released last October as the first (digital only) single from their current album, Alive is actually a seven-track EP serving up some fourty plus minutes worth of goods. As an example of the contemporary Inertia, Alive was a choice cut for a first glance at Universal Blood. Of the seven tracks six are remixes of Alive with The Line being the only new song (exclusive to this release). Guest fiddlers include Paul (Information Society) Robb, XP8 and Lowlife. And they're a decent bunch too. But for me, it's the fine style of Ego Likeness' intricate dance remix that does just what the best remixes always do – prompting the thought “I really must check out Ego Likeness again”. 7/10

Rob Dyer (April 2013)

"Deworlded" (Album, 2010)

Cryonica

Whilst countless others have crashed and burned, Inertia remain one of the UK’s longest-running industrial bands. Built around core of founding member (and Cryonica label manager) Reza Udhin, they’ve pursued their own objectives since 1992. Although always anchored to their love of all things hard and heavy, they’ve slowly evolved down the years and have garnered the respect of fellow industry players and a following that spans the globe.

Deworlded is Inertia’s best album yet. It’s a terrific amalgam of the various styles they’ve touched on throughout their career and, as far as I’ve heard, probably their most varied long player so far. One wonders if the release their notable covers album Kloned last year also released any pent-up creative tension (or reticence to experiment)… Whatever the motivations, the band’s brave decision on Deworlded to trust their instincts more than ever before has produced an unexpected treasure. Those brought up exclusively on the darker, meaner side of Inertia’s high BPM, dance floor focused songs might initially be taken aback slightly by a defter touch than one usually associates with the band. But any doubts are soon quashed as you begin to immerse yourself in a deeper, more intellectual and richer sound than ever before. The strong yet deliberately mid-tempo opener Deworld firmly sets out the proposition.

They’ve not forsaken their past however, and tracks like Feed, and Round and Round should sate those who only want one thing from Inertia. But it is on the (…dare one say it…) more ‘accessible’ tracks that a whole new dimension to Inertia is revealed. Anticulture really grabbed my attention when I last saw them live, and was the song that prompted me to get my hands on Deworlded. The recorded version (especially a well-crafted and unforgettable chorus) delivers on the live promise and evidences lead vocalist Reza’s ability to do a whole lot more than growl viciously.

The supreme atmospherics on Alien (featuring some brilliantly pitched backing vocals by Alexys B) are closer to Daniel Myer’s more thoughtful electronics that the Inertia I used to know so well. Chuck in the ripe, moody instrumental Strange Familiar and you’ve a collection of eleven tracks that’s as well-rounded as it is impressive. There are shades of all sort of industrial legends in Deworlded, yet Inertia’s triumph is to have stamped their mark of experience and authority firmly on every track ensuring that this is never a pale imitation, rather 100% Inertia… firing on all cylinders! 8/10

Rob Dyer

"No Defect" (Single, 2002)

Cryonica

Wow, the opener on this latest single from UK Electro EBM stalwarts Inertia really shows some progression over their previous material of which I've never really been much of a fan. More structure, more melody and good vocals, No Defect gets my vote as contender for best Inertia track to date. I first heard the song when the band performed it live last year. It immediately stood out from the rest of Inertia's otherwise fairly bland wall of fast sequencers and thumping beats.

The first remix (by The Galan Pixs) could almost see Inertia follow the likes of Delerium onto the dance floors of the Balearics. Full marks to the wildly improved vocals - still 'hard' but way better than anything Reza has produced before. Void (Project-X remix) is a restrained, moody piece. There's also a Club Mix of No Defect by Inertia and a Mutagenic Mix to round things off. This singles comes as a pleasant surprise, and caught me just as I was about to put Inertia outside my increasingly cluttered radar - rescued for another day. 6/10

Rob Dyer

Official Inertia website: http://www.inertia.gs