Inheritor - Denizen
Words by Tom F-H
Sometime in August I received a phone call from an old friend. That friend told me about how they had swept across the globe causing mayhem and havoc for health sectors, and then proceeded to trap me in bed for near two weeks. That particular old friend wasn’t Tye Jozefowicz, ex-lead vocalist of post-mortem Leeds-based Avenoir, current lead vocalist of the hellish, metal reincarnation of the aforementioned punk band, unless he has finally figured out a way to morph into said killer-virus. However; he did in fact call me to have a chat, in which he laid out all the laws of their shiny new project. Yes, one of my favourite Leeds bands has received a rather startling paint job and, with their latest single ‘Denizen’, Inheritor hope to – well – inherit all the things their old fans loved about their pre-apocalypse performances.
Perhaps ‘inherit’ is a poor choice of word. Inheritor are seeking to move away from their past self in a serious and long-awaited personality re-evaluation. Jozefowicz very clearly told me that their genre, sound and image were all finally going to be put to sleep, but that they were certainly keeping their vicious on-stage energy and antics, and that this was something very important to the members of Inheritor, regardless of how much their outward identity might have transformed at first glance.
Nearly two years on, the members of Inheritor have clearly progressed their musical and spiritual energy in such a way that many other alternative acts simply have not. A re-brand is not as simple as whacking a new profile picture on Instagram like a sticker on a bathroom stall. As well as having to deal with new press information, new photos, new visual themes, new outfits, Inheritor also pride themselves on being self-driven and wholly independent. In a pained effort not to praise the usefulness of home studios for the bazillionth time, I will simply state that seeing another metal/alternative act go DIY is heart-warming, but also nerve-wracking. Inheritor are starting over from the ground up, and plan to be completely self-reliant, focusing on their artistic integrity as well as finally being able to create the music they want to create.
Inheritor are a metal band, no doubt, and Denizen is a chaotic mishmash, sledgehammer-smash of all the members’ pent up creative juices. I wrote about the band several years ago and stated that I could tell that, back in a slightly confusing time, the old band were battling with line-up changes, and that to move on from this they might benefit from finding this new sound. Jozefowicz reminded me of this in our phone call, and now - being on the other side of this change - I can wholeheartedly say it was what the band needed. Jozefowicz was practically bursting with a heavy metal sensibility that has finally been released in their new music and identity.
By Google’s definition, the word ‘Denizen’ means: ‘a person, animal or plant that lives or is found in a particular place’. By Jozefowicz’ definition, the song ‘Denizen’ is music that will make you want to kick a baby. Instrumentally, Rob Arkle (lead guitar), Ethan Mumby-Green (bass) and Jack Hendy (drums) create a fusion of melodic and crushing metal, with many post-hardcore and extreme metal influences. The shifts from driving, urgent rhythm to head-squashing breakdown is fluid and creative, and Mumby-Green’s production on the track shines through in his ability to showcase all aspects of the genre, turning noise into music. While Jozefowicz told me that they all had a hand in writing the new music, he said that Mumby-Green and Arkle had the main influence on the instrumental decisions, and that the former is also a recording, production and engineering ‘wizard’. I can’t gloss over Hendy’s part in the process, however, as the job of a metal drummer is never an easy one, and his shift from punk is a smooth one. His use of texture and his general swiftness implies that he started preparing for said shift a long time ago.
The song itself doesn't mess around, punching straight into a riff-fuelled, metalcore verse section. The vocals are hard hitting, and I particularly like the refrain before the chorus in which Jozefowicz taunts the listener, inviting them further into the mix as they await the slamming force of the chorus. The first half of this uses some major tonalities to sound almost playful and reassuring; something I might describe as being very 'Killswitch Engage'. This is followed by a much more sombre and nihilistic second half in which Jozefowicz states that 'we' - a collective as a species - have 'lost our way', before asking whether we actually even have or had one to begin with. His previously mentioned frustration shines through here, as his question implies being unable to grasp the thought process behind the culprits of our downfall. Spoiler: it is ourselves. A subsequent gauntlet of heavy vocals and riffage brings the listener to a quieter section featuring a choir. This serves as a tension-holding moment; teasing the audience into wanting to catch their breath before a straight, driving rhythm interrupts. The vocals become low and guttural here as the band writhe in their anger. A demonic scream, accompanied by a tempered and controlled rhythm from the instrumental section, serves as the release as Denizen reaches its climax. Yes, fear not: Inheritor are bringing the breakdowns. It is nice to finally see Jozefowicz able to flex his vocal style to his full potential in homage to extreme metal, and then a post-hardcore instrumental section, before a final chorus. Denizen is like a tour of the band's metal and alternative influences.
Jozefowicz highlighted to me that, as with many of his projects, the lyrical content is packed with allegory and intrigue. An essay, written by himself, will be following this release in the near future, however it is impossible not to take interest in his widely incandescent throes. As an avid reader of the Satanic bible and other such literature, Jozefowicz’s narrative is one about the bigger picture. He told me that the greed, avarice and hunger of mankind is something he finds frustrating in every-day life, and that these overarching themes are observations on our unchanging fundamental animal traits. Denizen is a commentary on modern tragedy and existential doom, but in an enjoyable, face-melting format. Despite laughing about how he and Arkle put together the choir section, their goals are unchanged and clear, and are very serious. Denizen will ‘pummel you around the room and then leave’, but Jozefowicz’s lyrics stay with you.
Denizen is available on Spotify and all good music streaming platforms - not that I think Spotify is particularly good, or is widely accepted as being 'good'.
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