INCANTATION - Blasphemy
1. Blasphemy
2. The Fallen
3. Once Holy Throne
4. Crown of Decayed Salvation
5. Rotting With Your Christ
6. His Weak Hand
7. The Sacrilegious Apocalypse of Righteousness and Agonizing Dementia (The Final Defilement of Your Lord)
8. Deceiver (Self Righteous Betrayer)
9. Seraphic Irreverence
10. Uprising Heresy
11. Misanthropic Indulgence
12. Outro
Label: Necropolis Records
Release date: 2002
Artist site: http://www.incantation.com/
GRADE:
9/10
I remember hearing these guys for the first time, on Houstons KPFT 90.1 FM Sweet Nightmares program way back in 88-89. I was in 8th grade, and Id stay up late on Tuesdays with my headphones, just listening to all of the new underground stuff that I had read about but couldnt find in my local stores. Pretty soon, I had my own little compilation tapes that I had made from those shows and I cant tell you how many volumes had INCANTATION on them. The guttural vocals that sounded straight out of hell, the very low end rumbling guitars, for a 13 year old that was some serious shit!
So, here we are almost 15 years later, with their latest studio release, Blasphemy, their first for Necropolis and sixth studio release overall. What a monster! From the beginning of the title track to the outro, guitarist/founder John McEntee and co. demonstrate the consistency that has always kept them in the game. One minute theyre grinding and blasting their way through your speakers, the next minute theyre on a slow, doomy funeral dirge. Ive always loved that about this band, along with their incredible use of feedback in their songwriting.
Kyle Severn makes a welcome return to the drumkit, as Dave Culross was only a session musician on The Infernal Storm. In my opinion, Severn is better suited for this material, his drumming not as clinical as some of Culross work sometimes comes off. Check out the track The Fallen, the way it just rolls on in and proceeds to just storm its way through. Immediately afterward, they slow it down with Once Holy Throne, pure apocalyptic death metal! And they are truly heavy when they slow down for the dirges. His Weak Hand is a prime example of just how heavy INCANTATION can get, the end with the use of aforementioned feedback. Those riffs where does he get em from? Theyre so twisted! Deceiver (Self-Righteous Betrayer) has got to be one of the wickedest licks ever created, and such brutal vocals by Mike Saez, session vocalist since being sidelined with injuries as a result of being stabbed last year. I tell you, these guys dont quit, I dont think they know the meaning of the word. Misanthropic Indulgence is another favorite as well, leading into a rather disturbing, yet oddly soothing 23 minute outro.
This is an incredible release, all the way down to the cover art, another aspect of this band that has always been impressive. I can always tell them apart by their covers and their tunes, a sign of a band that makes a lasting impression.
PJ
1. Blasphemy
2. The Fallen
3. Once Holy Throne
4. Crown of Decayed Salvation
5. Rotting With Your Christ
6. His Weak Hand
7. The Sacrilegious Apocalypse of Righteousness and Agonizing Dementia (The Final Defilement of Your Lord)
8. Deceiver (Self Righteous Betrayer)
9. Seraphic Irreverence
10. Uprising Heresy
11. Misanthropic Indulgence
12. Outro
Label: Necropolis Records
Release date: 2002
Artist site: http://www.incantation.com/
GRADE:
9/10
I remember hearing these guys for the first time, on Houstons KPFT 90.1 FM Sweet Nightmares program way back in 88-89. I was in 8th grade, and Id stay up late on Tuesdays with my headphones, just listening to all of the new underground stuff that I had read about but couldnt find in my local stores. Pretty soon, I had my own little compilation tapes that I had made from those shows and I cant tell you how many volumes had INCANTATION on them. The guttural vocals that sounded straight out of hell, the very low end rumbling guitars, for a 13 year old that was some serious shit!
So, here we are almost 15 years later, with their latest studio release, Blasphemy, their first for Necropolis and sixth studio release overall. What a monster! From the beginning of the title track to the outro, guitarist/founder John McEntee and co. demonstrate the consistency that has always kept them in the game. One minute theyre grinding and blasting their way through your speakers, the next minute theyre on a slow, doomy funeral dirge. Ive always loved that about this band, along with their incredible use of feedback in their songwriting.
Kyle Severn makes a welcome return to the drumkit, as Dave Culross was only a session musician on The Infernal Storm. In my opinion, Severn is better suited for this material, his drumming not as clinical as some of Culross work sometimes comes off. Check out the track The Fallen, the way it just rolls on in and proceeds to just storm its way through. Immediately afterward, they slow it down with Once Holy Throne, pure apocalyptic death metal! And they are truly heavy when they slow down for the dirges. His Weak Hand is a prime example of just how heavy INCANTATION can get, the end with the use of aforementioned feedback. Those riffs where does he get em from? Theyre so twisted! Deceiver (Self-Righteous Betrayer) has got to be one of the wickedest licks ever created, and such brutal vocals by Mike Saez, session vocalist since being sidelined with injuries as a result of being stabbed last year. I tell you, these guys dont quit, I dont think they know the meaning of the word. Misanthropic Indulgence is another favorite as well, leading into a rather disturbing, yet oddly soothing 23 minute outro.
This is an incredible release, all the way down to the cover art, another aspect of this band that has always been impressive. I can always tell them apart by their covers and their tunes, a sign of a band that makes a lasting impression.
PJ
