Incantation
- Dirges of Elysium (2014)
Listenable Records
Review by Trevor Proctor
Incantation
needs no introduction; formed in 1989 they are regarded as one of three leading
forces within the New York death metal scene, alongside fellow heavyweights
Immolation and Suffocation. During the twenty five years since their inception
they have released eight studio albums and are set to unleash their latest
work, Dirges of Elysium worldwide during June; with Europe having a release
date of 10th June and the US getting their mitts on it two weeks
later on the 24th.
From the release of Incantation’s first album “Onward
to Golgotha” they have garnered cult-like status across the globe with many
regarding it, and other albums as milestones and sources of inspiration to this
day. However, life only started for the band with the release of Onward to
Golgotha and eight albums later Incantation remains one of the most influential
and important bands within the Death Metal scene - Incantation’s current line
up consists of founding member John McEntee, (guitar and vocals) Kyle Severn on
drums and Chuck Sherwood on bass with Sonny Lombarozzi assisting with live
guitar duties.
Not only have Incantation toured worldwide growing their own fan
base and popularity they have also played an integral role in the exposure and
popularity of other bands within the sub-genre by giving groups like
Decapitated, Nile, Enslaved and many others their first opportunities to tour
with them in the US.
Dirges
of Elysium is a two minute instrumental that serves as a slow, doomy,
introduction to the death metal master class that is set to follow; the pace
kicking off in full with second track, Debauchery which is a four minute track
that shows us Incantation have lost none of their aggression, power or hunger
as they deliver a very solid death metal track.
Track
four, Carrion Prophecy was the first unveiled online to the world four weeks
ago as a taster of the album; it starts with a dirty, churning yet groovy riff
and proceeds at a slow pace before quickening the pace and descending into one
of the most infectious, head bangingly good riffs on the album; if this track
doesn’t stir the spirit of Death Metal in you then nothing will.
The
album closes with sixteen minute monster Elysium (Eternity is Nigh) which in my
opinion is a brave step for any death metal band, sixteen minutes is a long
time during which it could become easy to bore a listener – but this is far
from the case with this track; starting at a slow pace with McEntee’s demonic,
guttural vocal it sees Incantation at their bleakest and doomiest for close to
seven minutes before the riffs return sparking more menace and evil as the
twisted lead guitar work drags you further into this sixteen minute opus. The
pace gradually builds as the track progresses but continues to dip in and out
of slower paced sections, reaching a peak during the last few minutes when
Severn’s drumming builds the tempo in dramatic fashion towards its distortion heavy
ending – another fantastic track and musically ambitious way to finish an
album.
From
beginning to end this album is interlaced through and through with more than
enough moments of sheer brilliance, aggression and originality to silence even
the most determined of naysayers and is certainly an album that will place very
highly in many people’s end of year lists - this is not a band dragging its
legacy through the mud by flogging a dead creative horse nor is it a band
that’s trying too hard to sound like previous glories - this is a band on a
mission, a band showing with well-placed bravado that it’s passion and
creativity are far from exhausted.
If Incantation continues to release albums
of this calibre they’ll thankfully be about for a long time to come - not only
is this one of the hardest working bands on the planet they’re also one of the
best and the contribution they have made and continue to make within the Death
Metal sub-genre is second to none – long live Incantation!
Tracklist:
1
– Dirges of Elysium
2
– Debauchery
3
– Bastion of a Plague Soul
4
– Carrion Prophecy
5
– From a Glaciate Womb
6
– Portal Consecration
7
– Charnel Grounds
8
– Impalement of Divinity
9
– Dominant Ethos
10
– Elysium (Eternity is Nigh)
Dirges of Elysium is released by Listenable Records on 10th June (EU) and 24th June (US)
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