Album Details

• Artist: In My Coma
• Album: Magnets & Miracles
• Label: Sounds+Sights
• Year of Release: 2012
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: rockthusiast on 2013-01-22

I mean this in the best possible way, but Toronto rock outfit In My Coma doesn't look or sound "Canadian." This isn't to say every band from the Great White North should sing about what hockey and/or Tim Hortons coffee means to them, but there's something commercially eerie about the three members of IMC that makes you want to see their passports before you allow them to play any music venue. Two of the three were born or have lived for a significant amount of time in different countries, bringing a range of influences with them to full-length debut Magnets & Miracles. The one with the most perceptible sway is vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist Jasper James. Originally from England, he was brought up on gloomy, darkwavish synths by Joy Division, The Cure and Depeche Mode as evidenced through album opener "Friendly Fire". James has some solid lungs on him, and his instrumental versatility on tracks like "Lined Up and Locked Away" definitely move him to the front of the line of Ian Curtis wannabes.

Curly blonde bassist LauraDoll is a prototypical child of the Alternative Nation '90s. There are subtle reminders of the groups she must have listened to on the radio stations In My Coma are now asking their fans to contact in order to get airplay for their anthemic "Losing Sleep". To be precise, there are echoes of grunge-era Bush and industrialist Nine Inch Nails on "Hit Them Down Kid". But I was most interested to learn that drummer Mike Paterson spend several years in Asia as a teen. It isn't stated anywhere, but I got a serious X Japan vibe when "Homesick" blasts off into space metal territory. "Crazy World" has some decent speed riffage to it that I look forward to experiencing for myself live as part of Canadian Music Fest 2013 in our shared hometown of Toronto.

I can't really call them goth, although I'm sure IMC wouldn't mind - If the Twilight Saga hadn't finished last year, I'd say one of their more acoustic or piano-driven cuts would be in line to be included on an upcoming soundtrack ("Dreamers" or "My Friend", respectively). And just because In My Coma's music can be a tad bleak doesn't mean the three of them aren't generous souls - For the rest of January, you can download Magnets & Miracles from InMyComa.com for free! Don't smear your black eyeliner with your tears of joy...

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