It Prevails' The Inspiration is easily, easily Rise Records' best release in nearly four whole years, assuming Fear Before the March of Flames' Odd How People Shake made at all an impact on you. Perhaps it's because "the inspiration" for It Prevails is Shai Hulud and not the silly, often directly exploited antics of Christian breakdown metalcore.

So sure, The Inspiration does sound noticeably like Shai Hulud -- but thankfully nothing like Hatebreed or Bury Your Dead as their one-sheet professes. But the potent combination the band possesses is one not often heard in modern hardcore despite being ushered in by Hulud so many years ago: super melodic and upbeat guitars met with an intense bark and post-hardcore pacing.

It Prevails do a solid job of pulling the listener in with that plus the occasionally atmospheric touch of Beloved and an impressive display of dynamics. When the band do delve into chug riffs, it's incredibly momentary; unlike most of their praying-at-the-mosh-altar peers, It Prevails know better than to drag it out -- "Thirst for a Better End" constantly dips its toes into those riffs' territory without shamelessly diving right in, with even its 11-second breakdown featuring creative guitar theatrics. "My Life Back" is similar, with a surely crowd-involving refrain of "I took the fall of my life / And I got back up." "To Fail..." and "Man.Moment.Machine," while sequenced too close together and potentially just filler, are nicely soothing instrumental breaks all the same. The title track and one of the album's standouts closes out the near-half-hour with a welcoming fast pace and lots of neat changes peppered throughout it.

In this day and age I honestly would take The Inspiration's title as meandering bullshit, but shockingly, it is inspired. If Shai Hulud do fail to deliver the proper followup to 2003's That Within Blood Ill-Tempered this year, It Prevails may have provided a somewhat palatable substitution.

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Explanation:Content
The Distance
An Anomaly
The Inspiration