Index have a good amount going on with Vis Inertiae, but the shifting of sounds is handled exceptionally for a remarkably solid alt rock/punk album.
Release date: September 25, 2026 | Get Better Records | Bandcamp
This review is hella late. I was supposed to have this done in time for release, but things happen. It should be a testament to the music that I found time, barely, to run it back and get this out before our cut-off of accepting reviews for released albums because, while Index doesn’t break ground with Vis Inertiae, they certainly find compelling ways to tread it with finesse, melody, and power.
I’d never heard Index before now so I wasn’t entirely sure what to even expect. I went in blind, not even hearing a single – it’s good to do that once in a while. On first listen, I took to their raucous and vibe-heavy take on punky alternative rock. There’s a few lanes they navigate in and they’re all handled convincingly. I never thought that one particular mode of theirs was stretching their artistry too thin or ever felt underbaked. It even elicited some mental comparisons like Night Verses which may seem a little wacky to some, but I’ll try to explain.
Much like that progressive metal band, Index are comfortable in a lot of different paces and energies. “Cellophane” as an opener certainly sets a rigorous tone with big drums and flexible guitars that borrow heavily from their punkier side. The vocals are projected considerably, clear and concise so as not to get lost in the hullabaloo of the instrumentation. I might be the first person to use ‘hullabaloo’ in a punk music review, but even if I’m not, it’s an apt descriptor. “Fractured” continues this feeling with a driving track and the same commitment to tone and tempo.
It’s after this that Index start to explore other templates to lay their bold sound on top of. “Glass Horizon” churns more with its instrumentation, but the hook still comes up above water for its moment. The bridge has a tinge of panic where the dam breaks and covers the mix in rambunctious notes just like the couple songs before, but its morose attitude prevails. “Dissolve” is lighter in that similar tone, but mixes darker, calmer moments with explosive bursts of density and vigor. This is one of my favorite songs on the album and where I think Index excel the most, but I ain’t picky.
There’s also an industrial edge to some of Index‘s construct. On “Static Bloom”, we get what I feel is the most outwardly mechanical setup with buzzing instrumental melodies to contrast with the impassioned vocals the duo sling at us. “Earth” does this as well, but in a different way. “Static Bloom” feels colder, more synthetic and leans toward some nu-metal tendencies; “Earth” compels in a more organic way, warmer in the sense of the summer sun pouring waves of heat down on you in the desert. It’s alluring in an almost dangerous way.
Vis Inertiae is colorful. Some songs sound ocean blue, others a burning reddish-orange, flecks of green accent certain ones. It’s not a particularly bright album, but it is fun, immense at times, and always gripping. I’m not the biggest fan of shuffling albums on principle, but you could do it with this one and have a hell of a time with it. This is, as I’ve learned, a debut album and while the duo aren’t green in the newcomer sense (both members are from Philly melodic punk band, Control Top), it’s still impressive to see the charisma and chemistry they have together in this context.
Chalk Index up to another blind date experiment for me that went pretty damn well. I love what they’re going for and it’s fair to say I’ll be keeping an eye out for future work from them. It gets a big recommendation from me if you’re looking for tight punky rock stitched up with industrial and atmospheric tones. Even you nu-metal sickos should find a friend buried in Vis Inertiae‘s tracklist. Have fun!
