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Incantation – Dirges of Elysium

Jul 19 • News • 4191 Views • No Comments on Incantation – Dirges of Elysium

Achintya Venkatesh reviews the new record from Incantation titled Dirges of Elysium, released via Listenable Records.

Artwork by Eliran Kantor

It is by no means an exaggeration to say that Incantation is perhaps one of the most, if not the most imitated death metal bands. Taking on the voluminous and dissonant death metal mould forged by the originator in question, these ‘clones’ in the view of many made a once unique sound a cliché, or rather a commonplace mode of action in extreme music. However, it would be simplifying things by spewing the usual proclamation that the originator does it better than the bands that took inspiration from it. This would be selling short the bands themselves, who aren’t all entirely derivative and aren’t simply shameless knock-offs, and perform with a certain conviction in the same stylistic mould in a rather compelling manner. On the other hand, Incantation, much like their peers in Immolation, has settled into a comfort zone of sorts since the dawn of the new millennium.

Much of the band’s material in the new millennium have been more palatable offerings relative to their classic catalogue, which provided scope for surprise and unpredictability. ‘Dirges of Elysium’ is not different in this sense. The soaring polyrhythms that eternalized ‘Onwards to Golgotha’ are present, while the overall ambience is evocative of a more doom-laden ‘Diabolical Conquest’. Riff motifs exhibit an acceleration of quick-moving tremolo strumming which create a tension of sorts, ominous in their choice of notes. As in most Incantation material, there is a sense of cadence when we isolate these riff ideas, yet when used in intervals with perpetuating regularity defy the concept of traditional song-structures and instead work together as phrasings that invoke a sense of primal chaos in a scarily mechanical manner. Incantation’s brand of death metal is very unique in this sense due to its amalgamation of both complex and basal techniques. The juxtaposition of doomy trudging, which are especially found in abundance on songs like ‘Carrion Prophecy’ or ‘Elysium (Eternity is Nigh)’ and the percussively played, layered tremolo phrases which create a uniquely commodious and weighty texture results in the band rarely pursuing a singular direction or motion. While never veering away from the larger tenor, song-structures also present a collection of related moods. This also certainly distinguishes Incantation from the rest of its death metal brethren, being aesthetically far removed from the genre’s speed metal origins.

The guitar tone alone sounds very crisp, and for lack of a better word, the crunchiest it has ever sounded , which could be attributed to the modern production values and gear. If one is to be fastidious, the counterpoint between the leads and the tremolo riffing is less pronounced due to this, as opposed to the classic Incantation records where the rhythmic base was rumbling and cavernous. ‘Debauchery’ and ‘Impalement of Divinity’ serve as testament to this aforesaid tonal quality, a phenomenon which I think has also affected the latest Autopsy records. This doesn’t automatically change the nature of the record, though – this is certainly a band that still treads the path of the atmospheric and kinetic rather than being merely syncopation-driven and impact-oriented. Of course, the pinch harmonics we all love make their presence felt on tracks like ‘Portal Consecration’ and ‘Dominant Ethos’. The low-end howls of McEntee reverberate atop the riffs in a most gratifying manner as usual, and much like the vocals, Severn’s drumming appeases, yet essentially serves its function rather than being particularly enrapturing.

My concluding note harkens back to my introduction, which spoke about the band settling into a stylistic comfort zone. To clarify my stance, this is a phenomenon that affects almost all death metal veterans that have sacrificed constant innovation (which in itself is practically impossible) for lack of deviation and cohesiveness. A band as revolutionary and influential as Incantation can afford to do that. Fans would rather have a band pursuing the modus operandi they established for themselves with certitude rather than engaging in futile experiments, needless to say. It’s all still as enjoyable, although the menace brought forth by the band is something to revel in rather than something to be genuinely taken aback by, given that their prolific oeuvre has already broken whatever ground that could be broken in this template.