Incantation
“Dirges Of Elysium”
2014
After being a fan when their Entrantment Of Evil EP being released, I knew this band would go on to becoming one of the best death metal bands of all time. Man, I was right on the money there, because they have achieved some amazing career highlights. Even with the constant changing of line ups, it never affected the music as John McEntee always seemed to manage how to always find the right replacements and keep soldiering on with quality releases that have always kept their core fanbase and always attracting new fans along the way, which a lot of bands wish could happen to them with a line up change. But no matter who is in the band, Incantation always deliver the goods.
So, how does the new album hold up? Really good. The trademark sound is there as always. The riffs are punchy and in your face, as is the vocals, bass and drums. Drumming wise, this has to be one of Kyle’s best performances he’s ever done (But it does rival his excellent work on the latest two Acheron albums.). Kyle just seems to have a knack for being able to come up with the right parts that make the band just gel well as a whole, which is important. I really like the riff work between John McEntee and Alex Bouks (Of Goreaphobia fame.). John and Alex just lay down some excellent riffs together and compliment each others styles. It was cool that bassist Chuck Sherwood has stayed in the band as his bass work is heavy and really adds to the crushing rhythms that Incantation have always been known for. John is naturally providing a sheer dose of brutality in the vocal department once again.
The production on the album is very good. It’s clear and audible, but not polished so that it doesn’t sterile the band’s sound and style. Sticking with Bill Korecky do the production for nearly 20 years has really worked out for the band, because he knows what’s perfect for the band in the studio and achieves it with his engineering skill.
As far as favorite songs go: “Debauchery” is a pretty gnarly track as is “Dominant Ethos”, “Portal Consecration” and “Charnel Grounds”. But the last track, “Elysium (Eternity Is Nigh)” is a 16 minute epic song that doesn’t come off as boring nor as a long jam session. The song is brutal and still right to the point, even though it’s long, which is not uncommon for an Incantation album to have.
Long time Incantation will naturally love this album. If you are new to the band, start with this album and work backwards if desired. One thing is for sure though, this is one of the best albums of 2014 and will rank quite high on many year end lists, which for a band of this longevity to still attain, still shows that Incantation still have a lot of fuel left in the tank.
Tracklist:
1. Dirges Of Elysium
2. Debauchery
3. Bastion Of A Plagued 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)
https://www.facebook.com/IncantationOfficial
Members:
John McEntee – Guitars/Vocals
Chuck Sherwood – Bass
Kyle Severn – Drums
Rating: 10 out of 10
~Azazel