Inner Terrestrials – Heart Of The Free LP (Various Labels)

Today, I have the privilege to review the latest full-length material by living legends. There’s no way you got involved with the British anarcho-punk scene and missed Inner Terrestrials. The group roams the underground scene for nearly three decades, went through several lineup changes, toured Europe many times, released five brilliant albums, a handful of extended plays, and still going strong today. No matter what release you stumble upon, you’ll notice intelligent songwriting and tremendous musicianship. Inner Terrestrials undoubtfully stand out from the rest of the scene with those qualities. Recently, a bunch of DIY record labels, such as PDV Records, Fire And Flames Music, Mass Productions Records, Maloka, and Blind Destruction Records teamed up to deliver their fifth and most advanced material named Heart Of The Free. Therefore, I will talk a bit more about this particular material.

Inner Terrestrials took a long break in recording full-lengths, so it took about nine years for the group to release an album. Still, this wait is unquestionably worth it since Heart Of The Free shines bright with meaningful messages packed into technically demanding tunes. The group continues a winning streak consisting of intelligent songwriting and progressive musicianship that goes way beyond anarcho-punk standards. For those who might don’t know, Inner Terrestrials are famous for their blend of hardcore punk, punk rock, ska, reggae, and dub. Such an interesting combination that works quite well combined together. This particular material offers numbers that deal about mass manipulation and global control by those in power (Chain Of Command), hatred among the people backed by political agenda (Enemy Within), destroying the earth for profit of the multinational corporations (Eco War), defying the law to reach genuine freedom (Heart Of The Free), deceptions of social media networks (Binary Dust), fighting against racial prejudice and fascism (Under The Sun), about hired muscle that enforces a dystopian society (Mercenaries), against modern day slavery (Servile Masses), tax resistance (Irreve-Rant), against right wing politics (No Pasaran!), and about friendship/ an ode to a friend (We Remember Your Name).

As you can see, Inner Terrestrials are keeping true to the roots of the movement and exploring themes that are relevant and important even today, forty years after the appearance of anarcho-punk as a genre. Musicwise, Inner Terrestrials stick to their already proven formula. Their music still involves anarcho-punk, hardcore punk, ska, reggae, and dub, enhanced with loads of catchy riffs, ska chops, dubbed sequences, and other sonic delicacies. The group includes technically demanding segments from scratch to finish, so Heart Of The Free doesn’t resonate as ordinary ska-punk material. This recording carries a specific ambiance that embraces jamming and improvisation, but it contains regular song structures. It may sound jazzy at some points because of these improvisations, but Inner Terrestrial combined the best of both worlds, so it still sounds like a technically demanding punk rock album with frequent explorations into jazz improvs. The group continuously balances between calmness and aggression, so this material contains something for everyone. Inner Terrestrial is one of those bands that can handle any genre and adapt it to their advantage. It will appeal to both old and new admirers of the band, but it will also suit those curious ears who’re more into ska, reggae, and dub sound. Heart Of The Free is a pure masterpiece by the legendary band that never dissapoints. Make sure to check out the beforementioned record labels or go directly to Inner Terrestrials and preserve your vinyl today.