Disma
Towards the Megalith

OK, I reeeeeally need to revisit Incantation. Not only have I been enjoying the likes of Corpsessed, Gorephilia, Blaspherian and such, but the current wave of old school death metal has even got Century Media on the band wagon with the excellent Sonne Adam.

Profound Lore Records has simply decided to truly dig into the Incantation worship by releasing an album from a band that contains actual former Incantation members; notably vocalist Craig Pillard as well as live Incantation members Bill Venner (guitars) and Randi Stokes  (bass) and a couple of Funebrarum chaps in Shawn Eldridge (drums) and Daryl Kahan (guitars). The end result is what you’d expect: A crawling, churning, cavernous monster of old school, and obviously Incantation-inspired death metal. Real fucking death metal, folks.

While certainly residing in the same  general murky realm as label mates Vasaeleth and Impetuous Ritual, tonally, things are a little clearer, less chaotic and heavier with a little more focus on huge, slower, doomy passages. And I mean huge, monolithic segments that with Pillard’s subterranean bellow, resonate and rumble like a vast being crawling up from hell. While these moments are certainly the album’s highlights, there’s no skimping on some blastbeats, vile grooves or mid-paced lopes. Ultimately all the eights tracks have elements of all.

Look no further than opener “Chaos Apparition” for volatile mix of everything in one furious primal assault before “Chasm of Oceanus” reveals Disma’s apt grasp of truly oppressive, slow deathly dirges with a 7 minute monster of a track. Nothing is quite as nausea inducing or icky as their aforementioned label mates, but there’s a great, cavernous, dusty, archaic feel  to Towards the Monolith; like the soundtrack of wondering into some old centuries old sacrificial tomb, all the while menacing tribal drums pound in the background. Just listen to the last few moments of the title track. The great old school cover artwork sums up the album’s sound perfectly.

All eight tracks on Towards the Monolith are stout, enjoyable oppressive numbers, but standouts have to be “Vault of Membros” and “Of A Past Forlorn” with their über old school, oozing Autopsy hues, menacing crawls and hefty lumbering grooves.

Yet another win for Profound Lore Records and another top notch 2011 old school death metal release.

 

[Visit the band's website]
Written by Erik T
July 29th, 2011

Comments

  1. Commented by: Stacy B.

    This record has got the goods. One of those complete packages that really creates an atmosphere, an energy that is tangible. This will very likely be on my end of the year list. Great album!


  2. Commented by: elguerosinfe

    Excellent album. Practically funeral doom in some passages.


  3. Commented by: Nick Taxidermy

    fuck, this is murder. the guitar tone just buzzes with spite.


  4. Commented by: JGD

    Best album of the year so far – everything death metal is supposed to be.


Leave a Reply

Privacy notice: When you submit a comment, your creditentials, message and IP address will be logged. A cookie will also be created on your browser with your chosen name and email, so that you do not need to type them again to post a new comment. All post and details will also go through an automatic spam check via Akismet's servers and need to be manually approved (so don't wonder about the delay). We purge our logs from your meta-data at frequent intervals.

  • Massacre - Necrolution
  • Abramelin - Sins of the Father
  • Arkona - Stella Pandora
  • Infern - Turn of the Tide
  • Obsidian Mantra - As We All Will
  • Theurgy - Emanations of Unconscious Luminescence
  • Krilloan - Return of the Heralds
  • Esoctrilihum - Döth-Derniàlh
  • Undeath - More Insane
  • Mork - Syv
  • Wind Rose - Trollslayer
  • Vomit Forth - Terrified Of god
  • Ripped to Shreds - Sanshi
  • The Weeping Gate - Illuminate & Desecrate
  • Satan - Songs in Crimson