Released in March 2009, "The World Within" is a hybrid of trip-hop, alternative rock, and progressive metal that’s rebellious yet dreamy, and introspective yet socially conscious. There is a heavy emphasis on trip-hop’s spacey, downtempo style, with lots of keyboards, drum machines, and slow rhythms. But, Regardless of Me is not sleepy electro-metal by any means. The balance of live and programmed instruments is actually quite even. Founder and lead composer Emiliano Sicilia is a pretty good guitarist and performs some blistering solos. As for singer Pamela Manzo, she certainly makes a name for herself on this album. Her voice is clear and hypnotic, with a hint of an Italian accent. This sets her apart from the more classically influenced or honey-throated female vocalists in metal.

Half of "The World Within" is fairly slow because of the trip-hop leanings. However, no two tracks sound the same. "Regardless" is powerful and aching with a gentle and intricate solo from Emiliano, while "For Eternity" soars over low keys and down-tuned chords. The album’s centerpiece, "The Counterfeiter," is an outstanding instrumental, slowing adding layers of music until – BAM! It morphs into an opus of metal, white noise, and 80’s synth magic.

Not all of the ballads are so compelling. The weakest one by far is "Thy Nature," which sounds more unnerving than haunting. The common factor in all of the ballads, however, is Pamela’s harmonies. They are as mesmerizing as the melodies we’ve heard from Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil) and Anneke van Giersbergen (ex-The Gathering, Agua de Annique). Not to mention they are so irresistible, you’ll swear Pamela’s begging you to join her.

Regardless of Me does cut loose on a few energetic tracks. "City of Glass" kicks off with mangled guitars and drums, then streamlines into one heck of a catchy song. The anthem "So Cold" grabs the listener right away with its cosmic, synth-laden first verse and Pamela’s charismatic vocals. Then there is the title track, the one track that merges the best of the band’s musical "worlds." The result is nine minutes of spirited metal awash with ambiance and fading out with an ending that would make a great sing-along with a live audience.

I have no complaints about the uptempo tracks on "The World Within"… Except that there aren’t enough of them. Just a little more variety tempo-wise would have pulled this album out of its turtle pace. Howevver, one aspect of Regardless of Me’s music offsets (well, almost) that drawback: The killer refrains. A refrain (a.k.a. chorus) is the most vital part of a song. If it’s dull, you might as well be listening to dead air. Thankfully, there is little "dead air" on "The World Within."

Regardless of Me’s strategy for a great chorus is fool-proof: Keep the lyrics and melodies simple, and give Pamela the spotlight. This works with almost every song. It polishes gems ("Regardless," "So Cold") so that they sparkle even more and allows the more ordinary tracks ("No One Cares," "The Morning Light") to be redeemed. No wonder you get that feeling that Pamela’s imploring you to sing with her. Or, maybe you’ve been singing along the whole time and haven’t noticed it… until now.

So while "The World Within" may not be as lively or fresh as some metal fans would hope, it sure has got some fire. Not many debut albums are fierce, confident, and commanding like this one is. Not to mention most female-fronted metal bands aren’t so willing to blend influences that vary from Linkin Park and Katatonia to Massive Attack and Nine Inch Nails. Regardless of Me ran with that very idea, however, and created a rather attractive sound. This, along with those memorable refrains and the striking voice of Pamela Manzo, makes "The World Within" an admirable first album. Regardless of Me obviously wants the metal world to remember its music – and it may not be long before that happens.

8.0 / 10