Locked In
The Rebellion

After a relatively basic debut like “Walk The Plank,” the Perugia-based Locked In embarked on a long live journey that considerably matured them as a band. They shared the stage with international acts like Death Before Dishonor and frequently ventured beyond our borders.

This maturity is evident in “The Rebellion,” a hardcore/metal production that will delight any fan of the aforementioned scene. Online, they are talked about as the new To Kill (a Roman straight edge combo that wrote an important chapter in the national hardcore scene at the beginning of the new millennium), and perhaps they do have something in common, given the musicians' commitment to centering the lyrics of “The Rebellion” on a main theme: safeguarding our Planet, from the ruins created by man to the precious things life has given to us all. The lyrics are undoubtedly the vital core of this album, performed with the right amount of anger and abundant use of chants to further amplify the messages being sent.

Musically, the quintet has made a significant leap forward, erecting a sonic wall from which it's difficult to escape and which will prove its worth especially in live settings where circle pits and walls of death will undoubtedly occur. A fast and solid album that, unlike many others, cleverly avoids the excessive use of breakdowns (very trendy in the metalcore scene), providing listeners with a batch of powerful tracks that are, in some respects, varied in their offering. The album ranges from the New York hardcore influences of “The Proselyte And The Rust” to the sonic schizophrenia of “The Prophet And The Resistance,” from the heavier side of the album encapsulated in the title track (which also features Tommaso from Fleshgod Apocalypse as a guest) to the remix of the same track in a dubstep version as the closing.

In short, an album for all tastes, whose common denominator is the word “Commitment.” The commitment that Locked In has put in years of hard work and in an album loaded with messages like “The Rebellion.” Great step forward, well done, guys!