10 years ago in September, beloved and underrated electronic rock act Innerpartysystem’s self-titled debut album reaches that milestone. If you’re not familiar with the band, this is an album that was truly ahead of its time, and fantastic back then as well. A big break for them was performing alongside the stacked Warped 2009 lineup, which really boosted their profile. While the band only left us with a couple EP’s and this record, they shouldn’t be forgotten about at all.
Marketed as a band that sounds like “Nine Inch Nails meets The Chemical Brothers”, this description of them isn’t terribly far off – but it’s also dismissive of their broader spectrum of musical palate. Innerpartysystem is essentially very slick, very well-crafted, and very catchy electronic dance-rock.
It’s also a relatively diverse record. Songs like the infectious “Don’t Stop” (a song that works perfectly as a single and an intro to the band overall) and opener “Die Tonight Live Forever” showcase Innerpartysystem’s more aggressive side, also heavily relying (but not completely) on their more synth-oriented material, while the darker and more snail-paced “This Empty Love”, the latter of which simply explodes into an explosive finale 2/3 of the way through the song, provides variety.
While Innerpartysystem might stylistically operate near She Wants Revenge and The Bravery, the band’s self-titled release also sounds a bit more modern compared to other albums in their genre (not including these two). There should be little doubt that, if released today, this record would be a big hit in the alternative rock/Warped scene (again). Keep in mind, they were signed to a major label (Island), played Warped and Lollapalooza, and had songs in video game like Madden. While the band is on an indefinite hiatus, fans of diverse, catchy electronic rock will likely fall in love with this record. Happy 10, Innerpartysystem!
