Review Summary: And after all these years…
If you needed them, forget about your OSDM revival acts (Funeral Whore and Father Befouled just to name a couple from this year alone)
Vanquish In Vengeance is here to turn heads and re-affirm that the vintage death metal sound is still alive and kicking, enough so that’ll ensure Incantation’s name on the metal scene for many
more years to come. After a six year wait between full-lengths Incantation triumphantly return with their typical brand of death metal. Keep in mind that these guys are not trying to ‘revive’ that particular type of death metal rather their just doing what they have been doing all these years. Coming in twenty years after the debut
Onward to Golgotha Incantation still manage to hit the listener – hard, proving there’s nothing quite like hearing a traditional although not unique (especially not anymore) sound. One things listeners’ may notice, compared to the band’s other releases this album has moved with the times in production and lost its murky sinister and raw-er sound. This works both ways for the listener, negatively in a way that listeners have lost a part of that signature raw bare bones sound but also positively in a way that the album itself has become almost accessible. Chances are you still won’t find this in any conventional music store but the rather clear production allows for a higher replay value from those that aren’t complete elitists.
Looking past the production it’s easy to see that the fundamental Incantation is still there. However, the music has shifted if only minimally. Tracks have taken a more mid tempo aesthetic without compromising this nihilistic, dank and frankly – ‘pissed off’ sound that is
Vanquish In Vengeance. John McEntee’s mid to low guttural roar punches through the listeners’ senses in a way that could only be mastered by the likes of former Incantation front man Craig Pillard, but three releases in John sounds very much the fitting component in
Vanquish In Vengeance’s balls deep sound. Thankfully, Incantation can still create an atmosphere to aid in the album’s overall quality. The guitars are prominent in the record clearly defined by powerful riffs reminiscent of the band’s earlier work but thankfully these guys aren’t afraid to add a lick or solo to the mix, not because they can (well I guess they can because they did) but to also provide a level of contrast to keep things interesting. This fifty two minute titan displays an Incantation of their glory days, even if the record itself doesn’t have the same impact or punch as their first few releases. It’s clear from
Vanquish In Vengeance’s ten tracks that these veterans still have something to offer. Guttural vocals, feedback laced guitars and some really consistent drum work (although for the most part the drums take a back seat to the rhythm section from the guitars) keep the album moving forward without showing the potential for this to be a repetitive listen.
Vanquish In Vengeance pounds through its ten tracks with ease and before you know it the album’s at an end. With tracks varying from three minutes to the eleven and a half minute closer ‘Legion of Dis’ listeners would have to be pretty nit-picky to find a dull moment. From the faster paced ‘From Hollow Sands’ where blast beats push through the riffs to the albums opener ‘Invoked Infinity’ which highlights the vein in which the album will take, tracks flow into the next and proceed in roughly the same crunching manner. Incantation are back to hold their spot on the vintage death metal scene. The band may have moved into the 21st century in terms of the album’s production but it takes very little away from a solid death metal record coming just before the New Year. For fans of the genre and especially the band
Vanquish In Vengeance is a must. Listeners’ can forget the revival acts and instead go for the real deal.
