In the Know
Groove-oriented rock with grunge influences is the name of the game on this reissue of two albums from 1992 and 1993.
Preface is the first disc, made up of 10 official songs and 2 bonus tracks. “The My Way” is a slow way to start things off with a simple groove. “Listen” has a powerful chorus with impassioned vocals followed by “Mortify Me” which has haunting Layne Staley-like vocals and a mid-tempo groove. “Could’ve” recalls old-school Anthrax, but although it may be fast, it sounds hollow and lacks punch. The band pours the sludge on with “Put It Off”. A brief solo is the highlight of the otherwise sub-par “Not A Part of Your Life”. The music is fairly simple and has more of a Helmet influence with maybe some Corrosion of Conformity thrown in for good measure. One of the bonus tracks, “Forgive and Regret”, is better than anything on the album with thick bass lines, stop/start drumming, and lively riffing. It definitely is a departure from the bleak, doomy soundscape that’s on the actual album.
Non-Fiction steps up their game on In the Know. The title track is fast, but this time with a sense of urgency; the guitars, bass, and drums interlock into a captivating groove. The drums are high in the mix and there are some cool, unpredictable beat patterns. Even the solos sound more inspired this time around on “First and Lasting Impressions” and “Sound Decisions”. “Acceptance” starts slow and builds up to a faster pace, and has one of the better vocal performances on the album. Acoustics show up a few times with the instrumental interlude “No Comment” and in the light, up-tempo “Next to Nothing”. One drawback is that there are 14 songs, and 2 bonus tracks; a length that could’ve been cut down to something more manageable. The bonus song “Dark Day” is simply dull. As a whole,
Non-Fiction had something pretty interesting going on; the musicians all had their chances to shine. They sound like a cohesive unit that would be able to pull off an impromptu jam without breaking a sweat. Helmet and Alice in Chains fans should take notice.
