There are great guitarists, great vocalists and great songwriters, but Monte Pittman is one of the elite few who can truly lay claim to all three titles. With his third solo release, Inverted Grasp Of Balance, he has once again raised the stakes, delivering a riveting collection of full force metal that showcases his continuing evolution, undoubtedly expanding his devout - and ravenous - fan base. "I knew exactly the album I wanted to make," he states. "I wanted to make the heaviest and craziest music I ever have. I really feel that it's an album that will grab you and demand your attention, [the actual quote was "This is definitely an album that will grab you and hopefully demand your attention" but I felt 'definitely' and 'hopefully' sort of neutralized each other, so I've made it a little more assertive] and it is way heavier than anything I've ever done. Deep down, it's something that I personally have always wanted to hear." The results speak for themselves, and from the explosive thrash of opener "Panic Attack" through to the epic strains of closing track "New Blood Keeps Us Alive" the quality doesn't dip once, making this one of the most essential metal releases of 2016.