Text by Maíra Watanabe
Wikimetal attended the closing show of the English band InMe in London to enjoy the sound of their new album Jumpstart Hope , released on January 17th.
Vocalist Dave McPherson and guitarist Gazz Marlow warmly welcomed Wikimetal backstage before the show to share a bit about the band's history.
McPherson, one of the band's founders, recalls starting as a teenager in the Essex region, dreaming of having one of the biggest bands in the world. "Back then, we played grunge band music with my high school friends. We loved Nirvana, but over time we started composing and creating our own beat and our own path," he says.
For 24 years they've been showcasing their alternative rock in England, with six albums recorded and now, with their seventh recently released. It was a five-year wait, and Jumpstar Hope arrived to excellent reviews from the local media and recently appeared in the top 10 rock and metal hits in the UK, according to Official UK Charts .
Gazz Marlow, the band's guitarist for 10 years, describes InMe's sound as multi-genre. "The heavy feel is in the guitar and drums, which makes the band's sound more progressive." Dave describes the band as emotional and energetic. The vocalist is also the author of most of the songs, which are based on his own story, his struggle with depression, the difficulties of recent years, and also his relationship with his brother Greg McPherson , the band's bassist.
"I Swear" was the first song written for this album, based on a poem Dave wrote for his brother Greg, who helped him create the melody. It's a cry to unleash your own demons, and it comes across impressively in this song.
Dave's stage presence is mind-blowing; he connects with the audience at all times, joking, chatting, making jokes, and during some songs, he even comes down from the stage to sing up close with his fans. The show is explosive, unusual, and contagious. “I’ve always been kind of broken, with low self-esteem… Music for me is a way to free myself, to release my demons and also to connect with people. I always receive messages from fans saying that when they listen to my music, it helps them get out of a rut, and I like knowing that my work has that power.”.
InMe, formed by Dave McPherson on vocals, Greg McPherson on bass, Gazz Marlow and John O'Keeffe on guitar, and Tom Dalton on drums, is considered the band's best lineup to date. According to Gazz, the band's sound is unique and original. "We make an interesting sound; you won't hear the same chords, the same beat clichés anywhere else. Each song has a special characteristic, and each musician also has their own personality. We work collaboratively to produce a more original sound."
“We are five musicians who know what we are doing. Each one has their own merit and brings their own ideas; we make a sound that we like to listen to afterwards,” comments Dave.
The vocalist also says that it wasn't always like this, but with time and maturity he learned to share his dreams more. “I used to be a bit restrictive and overprotective of the sound of the music. I wanted everything to come from me, and over time I realized that the other members could create things that I couldn't, bringing me elements that surprised me and made the songs richer. In this new album, for example, I created some things and let the band do their part as well, which made the process more creative,” he describes.
Gazz also comments that the group's relationship isn't just on stage. "The best thing about InMe is that we love spending time together. On Saturdays, for example, we always get together to play music and have a beer. There's a really strong friendship between us, and that's also one of the reasons we continue, and we love this vibe.".
"InMe is not simply a band, but a big part of my life, a project I started when I was only 13 years old and that I continue to this day," concludes the vocalist.
The new album Jumpstart Hope can be heard on Spotify, and they are also active on social media and love receiving messages from fans. We hope they can one day bring their work to Brazil. See below the message they sent us.
Below you can also listen to the album and check out photos from the London concert.
