Essex boy nu metallers InMe head to Koko tonight for the fifth date of their UK headline comeback tour. Mostly known for their more restrained teenage sound, they've come back with a new, more mature and heavier vibe which, it seems, they hope will gain them more respect in the notoriously unforgiving land of metal fanatics.
As the band prepare to take to the stage it looks set to be a corker of a comeback. Loads of flashing lights consume the stage and there's a big cinematic blast of operatic sound. All eyes are fixed on the stage as the band walk out in a rather sheepish manner. They've been away for a long time and nerves seem to have gotten the better of them. Koko is awash with what can only be described as the contents of a school disco crowd tonight, so their hopes of appealing to a more mature set don't look likely to be fulfilled.
The set itself is mediocre – they pump out tune after tune from new album Daydream Anonymous which the crowd enjoy to an extent but it's painfully obvious that they're all waiting to hear some of the older hits. The new direction is much more technical, with loads of self-indulgent guitar riffage and a bigger, more full-on, textured hardcore sound.
Disappointingly, the band only play a couple of the classics, including 'Underdose'. This tune is received with the most enthusiasm we see all evening with people bouncing their little butts around the dance-floor and laying into one another like rabid dogs.
Throughout the show frontman Dave McPherson appeals to the crowd to step up their game, for the most part, to no avail. It's actually quite uncomfortable to watch the desperation he displays with these requests. A last ditch attempt sees him splitting the crowd down the middle to form a Wall of Death. Some brutal craziness ensues but quickly the atmosphere lulls back to a more restarained climate.
Maybe the kids just aren't in the mood to party tonight, or maybe they just don't 'get' the new sound. Either way, the band have a lot more work to do to regain the loyal fanbase they once had. Unfortunately, more Kevin and Perry than Dimebag Darrell.
Words: Naomi Misquita-Rice
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