Closure＜Colored Vinyl＞

Integrity is a band known for their longevity, yet the one thing that has seemed lacking in its repertoire is its lack of diversity. Typical to an Integrity album are heavy metal guitar solos and sludgy riffs in the foreground and everything else somewhere behind. Closure shows that is changing, however. Integrity is still into metal; many of the tracks showcase its brutally harsh music, yet the real interest is the ability to also create an occasionally beautiful track such as "Empty Shell." Nevertheless, the layout on the album is the real eye-catcher here. Dark, sharp, and including no credits, lyrics, or any information except for Victory's mailing address and website); if this works as the band has intended, the layout will probably give the listener nightmares or at least make one wonder what the hell is going on with this band. In light of Integrity's persistence and authenticity over other less-than-talented acts who call themselves metal, Integrity does deserve some credit. As far as Closure is concerned, there is thankfully more diversity on here than its last release, 2000, although the heavier parts seemed redundant and Dwid's vocals seem bloated and zombie-like. Fans of the band should have no problem appreciating this; it's the rest of the musical community who will probably not totally understand Closure. ~ Kurt Morris