InMe – Daydream Anonymous

Lady luck’s never really been one to shine on Essex rockers InMe. Last years untimely departure of founding member Joe Morgan did little to soften the blow felt by almost 10 years of backroom label wranglings, and with latest album Daydream Anonymous still a mere pipe-dream at the time, the pressure was firmly on for the trio to re-establish themselves amongst the UK’s rock elite.

Throughout their decade-long career InMe have continually snuck under the UK’s rock radar. Bereft of much Kerrang! coverage and with only a smattering of mainstream mentions to their name since 2003’s Overgrown Eden album, there constantly remained questions as to whether the trio could indeed make a name for themselves in this post nu-metal era.

With the likes of Linkin Park left as sole representative for the misguided youth of the early ’00s, McPherson and Co could potentially have seen this as a belated opportunity to push themselves into new quarters, away from the foggy grunge-rock haze which’s seemingly blighted the band since day one.

Daydream Anonymous sees the band grasp that opportunity and ram it home on a wave of audacious guitar work and McPherson’s wonderfully brooding tones. For the most part it remains the post-grunge offerings of old, yet listen closely to the likes of Far-Reaching and Cracking The Whip and you’ll hear a band more ambitious, a band more determined to succeed and move forward. Technically proficient throughout and with an ethos firmly set on delivering crunching rockers one after the other, InMe’s latest album may just be their best yet.

Where the follow-up to their well received debut – 2005’s White Butterfly – rode so brazenly on it’s predecessors proverbial wave, Daydream Anonymous instead makes a name for itself by being that little bit different, swapping by-numbers grunge-rock for a heady mix of rock and metal, led by McPherson’s gruff overtones and youthful lyrics (we’ll refrain from the dreaded ’emo’ word for now) coupled neatly with wrist-melting fretwork and a deliciously crisp drum sound.

Lead single I Won’t Let Go best exemplifies the discs sound; a crunching, driven guitar anthem bolstered neatly by its infectious chorus line and nagging bridge refrain – it’s sure to incite many-a mosh-pit at the bands upcoming nationwide tour. Fortunately, the slower songs work as well, with the likes of Turbulence and title-track Daydream Anonymous striking the chord so woefully missed by previous album White Butterfly’s poor efforts.

As to where InMe go from here is anyone’s guess, but with a solid label structure beneath them and a better than decent album now to their name, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see them hit the Kerrang! masses with more than a fell swoop over the next year or so. And well, if anyone deserves it…