Unlike the vast majority of extreme metal acts that sing about death, murder, suicide, disaster, pain and suffering, few have actually lived through these situations as the mighty SOILENT GREEN has. Soldiering on with more conviction and perseverance than most of the allegedly tough hardcore bands in existence, these sons of NOLA have emerged from the swamps with possibly their finest album since the classic, Sewn Mouth Secrets. Despite the band’s long-running trademark of cramming in as many riffs as humanly possible in the span of one song (witness the amount of changes that go down in the mere two-minute “Blessed in the Arms of Servitude”) the songs seem to flow almost effortlessly. Inevitable Collapse also displays a new found maturity as the band grooves more often, helping to make the album’s seemingly never ending roller coaster-like changes blend smoother than in past efforts. Dynamics also play a more prominent role on songs such as “In the Same Breath,” “Lovesick,” and “For Lack of Perfect Words.” They also sparingly feature guitarist Brian Patton’s effective usage of a banjo-mandolin styled instrument known as the Mcnally strumstick, which provides a welcome breather from the otherwise relentless onslaught. In what must have been an emotional creative process, “All this Good Intention Wasted in the Wake of Apathy” pieces together older SOILENT GREEN material that former singer Glenn Rambo was involved in as a tribute to their friend who died in Hurricane Katrina. Although the chaotic structure of the band’s songs may make it difficult for listener’s to find a riff to grasp on to, Sewn Mouth Secrets is a triumph in every sense of the word. A true album, best experienced from beginning to end, SOILENT GREEN has delivered the strongest and most deserving comeback of the year. (Metal Blade Records)