inblackandwhite Say We Are Not Brothers (2007) self-released

Two-and-a-half minutes into the opening track, inblackandwhite's dueling vocalists finally make an appearance -- thankfully the band has already spoken volumes by this point. The post-hardcore band from Boston is just that: spot on post-hardcore. With a mixture of dueling vocals that are just dissimilar enough to be interesting, a highly competent rhythm section and a sound that reeks of Fugazi's In on the Kill Taker or Frodus' And We Washed Our Weapons in the Sea, the band has a solid foundation to work from.

The EP contains five songs and has really gotten a terrifying amount of play by me in the past month or so. The second song, "The Fire of Triumph and We Are Still Cold," has a fantastic sing-along chorus that hails back to the pre-Epitaph days of Hot Water Music while the fourth, "The Tundra Calls Us Home" is a sort of post-hardcore dirge lamenting the travails that one faces growing up under other people's assumptions and rules.

The final song, "This Is the Machine" begs to be heard live in a basement, sweat dripping from the ceiling, kids piled up on the band waiting to be set loose. In fact, this may be inblackandwhite's biggest downfall: They are a band that is made to be seen live. The studio treats their sound well and they've been able to flesh out their sound without spending boatloads of cash but there's an energy in their music that begs for an in-person exposition.

Say We Are Not Brothers is a highly recommended buy for any fan of mid-era Fugazi, Hot Water Music or Small Brown Bike. There's a lot to be said for having good influences.

(Justin)