Coldrain - The Enemy Inside (2011)^{Release ID: 23287}

If you're a nu metal/alt-rock fan, you'll for sure love this album from this English-singing Japanese band! The Enemy Inside is a great improvement from their band's earlier releases. Final Destination was a false punky start for the band. While their debut had a few good songs like "Fiction", the incredible title track, and "Counterfeits & Lies", but that's all there is to like there. Their second release, the EP Nothing Last Forever is much better produced with great tracks that aren't totally bad...

The Enemy Inside is the band's second full album and third release, and if you think there would be something disappointing, there isn't! This is the album to start your perfect Coldrain journey if you're up for a mix of nu-metal/alt-rock/metalcore.

The heavy energy they possess begins with "To Be Alive", and that's what they need for stage performances like the live DVD Three Days of Adrenaline. You don't often hear a song like "New Fate" that would never get too old. "Rescue Me" is a great song that's never awful. "Adrenaline" is another great highlight to like, and it definitely makes me up to support this band even more.

"You" is a beautiful song, showing that the band never had to translate from Japanese when writing lyrics in English. "The Maze" is also beautiful, one of the best pieces of art in this album. The bridge is performed by Mah of SiM, a fellow Japanese band that can mix mathy alt-metalcore with Central American reggae. "Rise and Fall" is another grand highlight, far better than that sh*tty Helloween song of the same title. I really appreciate this one with all my heart, and it has motivated this alt-metalcore side of me to develop. Coldrain is one of my 3 favorite Japanese metalcore bands (alongside FALILV and Crossfaith), and that song deserves to give this underrated band more attention.

"Confession" is a ballad-like song that can work as a victory song for a sporting event like the Tokyo Olympics coming soon as of this review. "A Tragic Instinct" is also emotional, yet a more upbeat tune. For the final track "Hollow", HOLY SH*T, this is tremendous! This is one of the most underrated songs by this underrated band. Definitely something the heavier fans would love!

Again, if you love nu metal/alt-rock but wanna hear that style mixed with something different, Coldrain is a band you'll love to bits. You should really keep this album if you ever get it. I guarantee your enjoyment!

Favorites: "To Be Alive", "Adrenaline", "The Maze", "Rise and Fall", "Hollow"