Artist: Incantation
Label: Relapse Records
Release Date: 3/28/00
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Title: The Infernal Storm Artist: Incantation Label: Relapse Records Release Date: 3/28/00 |
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Abyss's Review:
There is no doubt in my mind that Incantation is a great death metal band. They've been around for a while now, released quality albums, and are very good at what they do. So why is it that I have so much trouble getting into them? Their new album, The Infernal Storm, fits right in with the rest of their work, and I have no doubt that longtime fans will embrace this album.
What puzzles me so much is that I really have nothing to write. This album contains everything I look for in a death metal release. It's brutally heavy, mixes different tempos and riffs into each song, and it's played tightly throughout the album. But every time I listen to it, I find my mind wandering, thinking of other discs I would rather be listening to. Basically, there's something about this band that doesn't grab me and pull me in. This could very well be remedied with repeated listenings, something I've promised myself I will do. Perhaps a better knowledge of this material will open my mind a bit, but with the schedule I keep, any time for casual listening is scarce. I mean, hell, even the coverwork on this one is cool as hell, oddly echoing the feel of Reign in Blood.
"Incantation's new album, The Infernal Storm, fits right in with the rest of their work, and I have no doubt that longtime fans will embrace this album." Aside from my aloofness toward this band, I feel the need to give it a relatively good rating because I have nothing to back up my opinion. I guess the problem is with me and not this band. I guess my biggest pet peeve is that this band falls into the stereotype of the average American death metal band in my own mind, but this may very well be due to the unfortunate fact that I don't get as many listens as I would like, due to the time table we're on. So buy this album if you're a true death metal fan, and I'll do my part and give it another chance.
Death's Review:
I think I pissed a few folks off with my Immortal review. One guy wrote in saying that I should change my name from Death to something else 'cause I obviously don't like death or black metal. He was only half-right.
"Incantation deliver traditional death metal, expertly performed." I think it might be fair to say that I generally don't like black metal. Well, maybe not that strong – I am a lover of all that is metal, and I support the black metal scene along with all of its metallic brethren. But I'd have to admit that when presented with black metal in its purest of forms, I don't expect it to find its way to the top of my playlist.
But death metal is another story. While I certainly am not an all-out speed and blast-beat craver, I do love certain elements of death metal, especially when presented with a band that can simultaneously deliver precision, power, and the ubiquitous killer double-bass drummer. Bands like Morbid Angel, Immolation and Dying Fetus have particularly caught my ear and garnered my deepest respect through expert musicianship, cool sounding downtuned guitar squealing and sick-ass slow riffs. To me, that is death metal worth listening to.
I like Incantation, as they bring all of these elements to the table. Fans of complex double-bass metal drumming will enjoy The Infernal Storm for Dave Culross' drumming alone. He is an insane machine. For me, it's all about the slow parts, in particular as heard on "Extinguishing Salvation," and the doomy "Heaven Departed." Mike Saez's subtlety emotive deep-death growl adds to the unholy aura. All in all, Incantation deliver traditional death metal, expertly performed.
"Just play the living hell out of your instruments on each new record and you'll keep me coming back every time." Like Dying Fetus, Incantation's creativity and power, still exhibited within the guidelines of the death metal scriptures they have previously mined to date, show that progression is possible without screwing the fans that brought you to the dance. Fuck adding keyboards or operatic female backing vocals or whatnot in the name of musical evolution– just play the living hell out of your instruments on each new record and you'll keep me coming back every time.
Hel's Review:
I always feel optimistic about an album when it has a good title. The Infernal Storm certainly qualifies under that criteria. Having little background with Incantation, all I knew to expect was that the music would be death metal. And that is good. So, between the band's musical genre and the album title, this one seems quite promising.
My favorite part of the album has very little to do with the musical talent of Incantation, however. Inside the booklet, there is a different satanic symbol on each page, all variations on the goat's head theme, many incorporating a pentagram as well. This bodes well for a band with a name invoking images of devilish rituals. I am pleased before I even pop the disc into my stereo.
"Big shock, I know, Hel liking a death metal album." The music is just what one might expect from the clues already given. Guttural unintelligible vocals (with the exception of the occasional "Satan"), rapid fire drumming, and a huge amount of machine-gun guitar riffing. Overall, you get the unholy blasphemous metalness you'd expect.
"Sempiternal Pandemonium" has a great little guitar solo, and is one of the more melodic and mellow tunes on the album, but that's not to say that it is slow-paced in the slightest. In general, you will find slower passages throughout this record, and I find that they are well used and add depth to the songs in which they are utilized.
"All death metal minions should obtain The Infernal Storm." Big shock, I know, Hel liking a death metal album. Sooner or later people are going to stop placing merit on my reviews since I seem to like everything. But, I'm a metalhead, and I'm reviewing metal albums - I don't think it's too shocking that I'll like the good ones. Once again, I deem an album to be good. All death metal minions should obtain The Infernal Storm.
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