Mortal Incarnation
Lunar Radiant Dawn


4.0
excellent

Review

by Andy H. B. USER (32 Reviews)
September 3rd, 2020 | 39 replies


Release Date: 2019 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Land of the Rising Sun(spawn).

Hailing from the bustling megalopolis of Tokyo, Mortal Incarnation represent the next generation of death metal from Japan, a country already yielding such venerable names as Transgressor, Intestine Baalism, Gotsu Totsu Kotsu, and Coffins. While this list is probably enough to get perspective listeners interested, it should be said that Lunar Radiant Dawn does not bear particular sonic similarity to any of them. However, what it does bear similarity to is the level of quality, along with that slightly off-kilter tone known for permeating death metal from the Land of the Rising Sun, providing a unique spin on already established styles.

The "already established styles" of question in the case of the pair of tracks on Lunar Radiant Dawn would be those of Incantation. However, do not make the mistake of thinking that I intend to say this EP is a rehash of the worn-out "caverncore" offered by a legion of Onward to Golgotha copycats out there. No, this is something altogether refreshing. While the vocal stylings may remind some of the Craig Pillards and Daniel Corchados of the death metal ecosystem, it's the music itself that really captures the imagination. Structure wise, there are certainly some similarities to the aforementioned New York stalwarts, namely the odd bout of plodding doom intersecting chaotic, swirling death. However, on top of that comes an auditory orgasm of trepidation-laced atmospherics and understatedly melodic lead guitar play that bring to mind diSEMBOWELMENT, the funeral pioneers of Esoteric, or even the Swedish masters themselves; Gorement. In many ways, Mortal Incarnation's sound is the more urgent counterpart to Nephilim's Noose. One could also say that it is a full-breadth expansion to that one absolutely mint riff in "Immortal Cessation" (you all know the one, I've personally mentioned it many a time). It certainly isn't what you might expect from a band whose members go by the monikers of Goatlord, Septic Necrovoid, and Miasma Vortex.

Somewhat immature stage names aside, Lunar Radiant Dawn is a short glimpse into a sound that is well worth every second it plays and whose mastering compliments it to a fine-tuned degree. More than once upon listening to these songs, I thought "why in the hell haven't more bands succeeded in melding this all together?" Well, no longer do we need to wonder that, for hopefully Mortal Incarnation continues on their path towards death metal supremacy in the very near future.



Recent reviews by this author
Cavern Womb Stages of InfinityMortal Wound Forms of Unreasoning Fear
Nephilim's Noose Rites of a Death MerchantMoribund Oracular Eyes
Execration (NOR) Morbid DimensionsHypocrite Into the Halls of the Blind
user ratings (19)
4
excellent

Comments:Add a Comment 
ShadowRemains
September 3rd 2020


28058 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

relatively short review for an EP that absolutely fucking rules

Orb
September 4th 2020


9493 Comments


Muuust check this out. Thanks!

evilford
September 4th 2020


66973 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Dude nice



Yea this rules

ShadowRemains
September 4th 2020


28058 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

dismal propagation into decay is a 5/5 dm song, need a full length (or at least a longer EP)

TheNotrap
Staff Reviewer
September 4th 2020


19009 Comments


If this has any resemblance to Mortiferum or Spectral Voice it is a mandatory listening. I'll peek

Dewinged
Staff Reviewer
September 4th 2020


32179 Comments


Holy fuck, massive props for mentioning Gotsu Totsu Kotsu!

Saw them last year and they blew my mind.

MO
September 4th 2020


24113 Comments


Ooo nice gotta check this

Deathconscious
September 4th 2020


27459 Comments


Yesss, glad this got a review.

ShadowRemains
September 4th 2020


28058 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

> If this has any resemblance to Mortiferum or Spectral Voice it is a mandatory listening. I'll peek

it's got some similarities to both, moreso the latter, but has a larger portion of death metal than doom

and yes i need to hear more of Gotsu Totsu Kotsu's stuff, have only heard a couple of their albums

TheNotrap
Staff Reviewer
September 5th 2020


19009 Comments


Both tracks slay. These guys need to release their full-length debut asap

ShadowRemains
September 5th 2020


28058 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

2018/2019 was a damn goldmine of death metal demos/EPs

Coast
September 5th 2020


1629 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Great tracks, can’t wait for an album.

oltnabrick
September 6th 2020


40765 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

this is good!

CookieFactory79
September 6th 2020


145 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

u m this review is a good yh k

oltnabrick
September 6th 2020


40765 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

excellnt return to from um k keep it up i think ok



ShadowRemains
September 6th 2020


28058 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

might give mortal wound a review at some point as well, but this one was a must

Deez
September 6th 2020


10498 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

So good. Been hammering this since it was re released I missed it last year. Great to see a review for it

ShadowRemains
September 6th 2020


28058 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

not enough bands try the gorement route (or even try to incorporate elements of it)

Deathconscious
October 1st 2020


27459 Comments


"might give mortal wound a review at some point as well,"

Yes. More people need to check out that EP.

ShadowRemains
October 1st 2020


28058 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

got an adramelech vibe from the riffing on that EP, also gutless rules so I need to hear that split with them



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