BY STEVE THIRIOT
A storied veteran act in the death metal scene, Incantation has always been a name synonymous with unwavering heaviness and pitch-black atmospheres. With their thirteenth studio album, "Unholy Deification," the band does more than merely sustain their legacy. They transcend it.
The lineup consists of founding guitarist and vocalist John McEntee, the stalwart drummer Kyle Severn, the weighty bass of Chuck Sherwood, and the calculated aggression of guitarist Luke Shively, Incantation is a well-oiled machine that operates on a potent mix of experience and innovation.
Track Highlights-
"Offerings (The Swarm) IV" - Opens the album with a monstrous crescendo, bridging the chasm between the cavernous past and the contemporary scope of death metal. This is the sonic equivalent of a black hole: all-consuming, unforgiving, dark.
"Chalice (Vessel Consanguineous) VIII" - Harmonically rich and rife with haunting death metal melodies, this track sees INCANTATION delving into uncharted territories without sacrificing an ounce of their signature heaviness.
"Invocation (Chthonic Merge) X" - The opening riff is infectious and satisfying; The track is a complex weave of rhythmic structures and demonic growls, this is perhaps the most avant-garde the band has been, pushing boundaries while remaining deeply rooted in their origins.
"Exile (Defy The False) II" - A straight-up battle anthem, loaded with Blast Beats and incendiary solos, embodying the resilience and defiance of Incantation in the face of a genre often plagued by trends.
Incantation has never shied away from probing the depths of the human psyche, and the cosmos alike. "Unholy Deification" is an extension of that insatiable quest. Songs like "Megaron (Sunken Chamber) VI" and "Convulse (Words of Power) III" delve into themes that encompass both the occult and the existential. This is a band that thinks as deeply as it plays aggressively.
Seamlessly produced, every guitar riff, drum strike, and guttural growl is heard in its full, intended glory. The album sustains a balance between the raw, live energy of death metal and the clarity required to appreciate the subtleties.
"Unholy Deification" proves that after three decades, Incantation still has the devilish prowess to reinvent itself while paying homage to its iconic past. This is not just another album; it is proof to their enduring skill and relentless passion for a genre they've helped to define.
In a world full of bands attempting to redefine genres, Incantation reminds us of the strength in mastering one. This album is an unyielding declaration that they are, now more than ever, vital architects in the cathedral of death metal.
It is, quite simply, brutal and good—exceptionally so.
Listen to the Album on SPOTIFY