Fracture Point
Inherit The Downfall
7.7
Fracture Point is a four piece band from Phoenix, Arizona. Inherit the Downfall is the band’s first full length record following a debut EP entitled Hatred Set Free. Fracture Point play groove oriented metal with flashes of technicality in the vein of bands like Lamb of God and Cannae.
Fracture Point’s greatest talent lies in crafting mosh pit ready grooves. Every song on Inherit the Downfall is chock-full of the type of chugging, mid paced riffs that practically command young men of a certain inclination to slam themselves into one another. Fortunately, for those who like to enjoy their music on a more cerebral level, Fracture Point spice things up with enough syncopation, tempo changes, bursts of melody, bits of clean guitar and occasional solos to avoid being one dimensional. While there is a strong metalcore bend to the music the band also has elements that seem to owe more to technical death metal, albeit in a watered down form. For instance, the title track features a stop-start riff that brings to mind Decapitated’s “Spheres of Madness”. The band also frequently performs fleet fingered, staccato single note lines in the manner of bands like Psycroptic and Spawn of Possession.
While riff construction is definitely a strength of Fracture Point, the band has a bit of trouble creating truly memorable songs. They are hampered in part by a generic vocalist. While Ben Rasputini’s gruff hardcore roar is mercifully bereft of any cloying clean tones, he fails to deliver much in the way of vocal hooks or dynamics. The band does their best to pick up the slack with a variety of ear twisting riffs and fairly intricate arrangements, but they cannot seem to build the songs to a truly compelling climax. The effect being that particular riffs may stick in your head, but the songs themselves tend to run together.
The production is more than suitable for this type of music. The guitars are dry and organic sounding, which keeps the frantic fretwork tight and focused. The drum sound is a meat and potatoes production which suits the performance well. The snare and kicks cut through the mix without being overbearing. The bass is only occasionally audible, but the recording does not lack for a punchy low end.
Inherit the Downfall is not going to set the world on fire, but it is a well crafted and polished sounding album, with enough instrumental prowess to push the band above the average. Fans of Lamb of God,and death metal influenced metalcore bands like Despised Icon and Job for a Cowboy would likely find Fracture Point appealing.
