Album Review: Pendulum - 'Inertia'
After 15 years, Pendulum’s long-awaited fourth album Inertia is equally explosive and experimental, a winning cocktail of chaos and charm.
Let's talk about the passage of time. Not in some grand, existential sense, but in the context of Pendulum. A decade and a half. One hundred and fifty years in dog years. That’s how long it’s been since their last proper album, 2010’s Immersion. For a generation of fans raised on mosh pits soundtracked to ‘Tarantula’, it felt like an eternity. The odd EP, sure, and the occasional killer single, but the promise of a full-length return felt increasingly like a shimmering mirage on the horizon. Until now.
The biggest question on every raver’s mind isn't just "Is it good?" but "Is it Pendulum?" The answer is a gloriously messy yes. Most importantly, this isn’t a lazy rehash of their old sound, their latest effort is electrified with the frenetic energy of a band determined to try something new. Ironically titled Inertia, the record does anything but resist acceleration. Laced with moments of lateral lunacy and moody beauty, it exceeds in pushing the boundaries of their trademark sound.
By far the liveliest moments come through ‘Save the Cat’ and Scarlxrd collab ‘Mercy Killing’, both being ear-splitting, unapologetic screamo numbers that lean heavily into the band’s metal-tinged side. Frontman Rob Swire’s vocals are raw, strained, and filled with a kind of frustrated angst that’s both jarring and compelling. They demand attention, raising defiant middle fingers to anyone who thought they’d mellowed. It’s a brave opening salvo that could deter purists but alas a welcome evolution.
Collaborations are also aplenty across the record, with features from WARGASM, Bullet for my Valentine, Joey Valance & Brae and Scarlxrd. Electro-rock duo WARGASM lead us into the carnage-fueled ‘Cannibal’ bringing a saccharine touch through Milkie Ways vocals to the aggressive guitars, a move that feels Crystal Castles coded. Yet the thunderous ‘Napalm’ featuring hip-hop duo Joey Valence & Brae, is an entirely different beast. It’s a frantic, breakbeat-heavy track that has a similar urgency to The Prodigy’s greatest hits with a machine-gun like delivery from Joey and Brae.
Live favourites also feature such as the Bullet for my Valentine featuring ‘Halo’. This is where Pendulum fully embrace their rock side, with a ferocious guitar riff from Matt Tuck that could tear a hole in the space-time continuum. The track is a masterclass in controlled chaos, blending the melodic laser precision of Bullet for My Valentine with the bone-shaking drum and bass beats that form the DNA of Pendulum.
Another long-awaited cut that has been circling their concert circuit is the epic ‘Archangel’ – a wild storm of cinematic synths anchored by Swires melodic vocals. This feels like a nod to the fans that have waited it out, through the Trinity gig series that loudly announced their live comeback to slots at major festivals like Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds and Creamfields.
Amidst the mania, ‘Colourfast’ is the moment that feels like the closest resemblance to a Pendulum deep cut, dusted from the archives and launched for a new generation. It’s a throwback to their Hold Your Colour era, pairing a simple drum and bass rhythm with a silver screen sheen. It’s less of a showstopper and more of a mood piece, a track that says more by saying less in its subtle approach. While not as aggressive as the other singles, it's a beautiful moment of respite, a reminder that the band can still craft atmospheric anthems.
Equally disarming is the brooding closer ‘Cartagena’ which sounds like the sister version of ‘Encoder’ thanks to a blissful outro which perfectly rounds off the album. With many dedicated punters already speculating on what this cut could sound like as the only live cut that hasn’t been teased at live shows, this is sure to be a treat for long-term fans that already know the likes of ‘Archangel’ and AWOLNATION collab ‘Guiding Lights’.
It’s a chaotic, heartfelt, and ultimately triumphant return that proves their fifteen-year hiatus wasn’t a creative block, but a necessary period of growth. Through all their recent concerts, Swire and co have been re-energised by exciting new material from this record that feels like a radical journey through their past and present, but more than anything Inertia cements a bright future for the poster boys of drum & bass.
Words by Oliver Evans
