 | Tracklist:
1. Intro
2. The Purge
3. A Token of Malice
4. Majesty and Decay
5. Divine Code
6. In Human Form
7. A Glorious Epoch
8. Interlude
9. A Thunderous Consequence
10. The Rapture of Ghosts
11. Power and Shame
12. The Comfort of Cowards
| Ranking: #72 for 2010 | |
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On 178 Lists
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Underneath the surface, Immolation’s newest album Majesty And Decay is a well-oiled machine; it works immeasurably hard to keep things going off without a hitch, with songwriting, production and musicianship working in unison to craft something which, on the outside, seems effortless and natural. The album is dynamic and fluid, taking moments of intense riffing and thunderous vocals and pairing them next to times when a slow, plodding riff rumbles along sweeping away anything in its path. Indeed, the songwriting which made Close To A World Below so memorable has returned in fine form, laying out a dozen tracks which are, cliché to say, all killer and no filler.
The huge amount of variance to the album constantly keeps things interesting, as technical riffs weave in and out of different time signatures and throw around pinch harmonics like they’re going out of style. The abundant, shredding guitar solos lay waste to the bombastic chords of songs like “Divine Code”, but often work alongside them to keep the pace constantly shifting from the likes of heavy, down-tuned chord progressions to tremolo picked verse riffs to technical but slow-paced bridges and all-out chaotic choruses. Complimenting the array of guitar compositions is the daunting battery which is laid down by the drumming of Steve Shalaty, who keeps the beat through the pummels of his double bass and tight, precise fills which do not go unnoticed. The desperate screams during the verses of “The Purge” show a sense of hurried chaos, while the vocals on the monolithic beast that is “A Glorious Epoch” take on a more drawn-out, deep character which complements the instruments with perfection.
The pace of the slower, more deliberate songs like “The Rapture Of Ghosts” and “A Glorious Epoch” really help contrast the brutality of “The Purge”, “A Token Of Malice” and “Power And Shame”. The album uses both of these structures: short, quick songs and longer, slower songs, to showcase their all-business approach to their style of death metal. However, Immolation has a knack on Majesty And Decay to inject quite a bit of individuality into the music. The riffs are often composed so that they have a memorable hook which burns them into your mind, a technique which helps keep everything fresh and avoids the folly of re-hashing riff after riff. The fact that there is no filler on the album is a direct result of the constant variety of different songwriting approaches displayed here.
The fire that Immolation had with Close To A World Below and Dawn Of Possession is certainly alive and well with Majesty And Decay, an album which is so well executed it immediately deserves a spot on the top death metal albums of 2010, a status I’m sure it will keep as the year progresses. Everything about this record is fantastically written and performed, from the vocals to the guitars to the drums. This album demands your full attention and, I can assure you, it will hold it for quite a while. Majesty And Decay shows how death metal should be done, and how Immolation still, after all these years, are at the top of their game.
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 4.5
Stream avaliable at http://www.metalkult.com/
Thanks to Jared for making me aware of it ;)
Digging: Mount Eerie - Clear Moon | | |
never checked these guys out before
gonna listen now
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Your welcome, reading now.
Digging: Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself Digging: Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Can't wait to get my physical copy of this.
The Rapture Of Ghosts is my favourite.
Digging: Everything Went Black - Cycles of Light Digging: Everything Went Black - Cycles of Light | | |
Fantastic review, and that was just perfect timing on both our parts hahaha.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Haha yeah man, I've been checking their myspace daily for weeks now waiting for a stream, when I should have been searching other sites as well.
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Boss
Digging: Botanist - I: The Suicide Tree / II: A Rose From the Dead Digging: Botanist - I: The Suicide Tree / II: A Rose From the Dead
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May not be a huge fan of straight up death metal, but this year has a bunch of awesome bands releasing new things and might as well stay in the metal mood by trying new stuff. Good review too
Digging: Diablo Swing Orchestra - Pandora's Pinata Digging: Diablo Swing Orchestra - Pandora's Pinata
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Thanks, if you're to check out any 2010 metal album, it should probably be this one.
| | | Album Rating: 4
I'll check it out.
Digging: Neurosis - Given to the Rising Digging: Neurosis - Given to the Rising | | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
inb4 "This album [Insert Something Graphic Here]" starts again.
...
This album impregnated me than ripped the stillborn fetus from my anal cavity and rigged an explosive device in each of the fetus' eyes, and left it on the porch of my parents house. Instantly killing both of them.
| | | Album Rating: 3 | Sound Off
this album beat up my dad
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
I see a repeat of what was going on with Converge coming.
| | | Album Rating: 4
amazing review mr., i have heard people praise this since it leaked but i havent checked it out yet, will do now
Digging: Of Monsters and Men - My Head is an Animal Digging: Of Monsters and Men - My Head is an Animal | | | Album Rating: 4.5
Great review like always Crysis. I'm going to give this a listen in a few minutes.
Digging: Steamy Ray Vaughan - A Little Bit of Rattlesnake Digging: Steamy Ray Vaughan - A Little Bit of Rattlesnake | | | Album Rating: 4.5
Both of you will probably really enjoy it.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Yeah I really like this a lot, and I don't usually like metal that much. Which means that everyone else should get it right now.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Fuck man I'm trying to listen to it, but the songs keeps skipping.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
This needed a review, and it got a damn good one. Nicely done. Good that they are streaming it as it's an excellent album.
Digging: fun. - Some Nights | | | Album Rating: 4.5
Thank you. You can only review it when the album is officially released or a legal stream is put up, so I had to wait for one or the other.
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