This Polish trio seemed to give some love... no, BIG love, to HM-2 infused Swedish death metal here. This piece of gory slab is the band's sophomore full-length album, even though after their inception in 1992 they put out a pile of demos and split releases. Even the debut album was about 5 years old when this second big baby came out...

The sound can be extremely aversive; it drills into brain so easily. The guitar tone is HM-2 and thick and loud bass guitar is playing the same stuff, making it sounds like crawler borer penetrating; it's so loud and thick that the riffs are not at all easy to fathom. Not the recommended first HM-2 album for newcomers I'd say... Guitar lead bits head on few songs sound very annoying, like 8-bit guitar emulator; not joking! The drums are organic, being well-audible in the mix. So, it is familiar Swedish-style ominous death riffs plus more punky 'n grinding revving, and the drums offer d-beats, blast beats and skank beats, plus variety of suitable death metal processions. So, it is often very much in-your-face type aggression. The vocals are throaty and not very powerful, somewhat Jeff Walker-ish (Carcass) dry croak-growling, plus some doubled gory scream-growls, with heavy microphone-distortions.

There's nothing new to be found, compositionswise. The guitar department is filled with very familiar chord progressions from Stockholm school of death metal riffing, and more punky ripping is pretty much forgettable, and very much similar throughout the album. I think it is the lively drumming that saves a lot on this album. The band is mostly pushing it onward most of the time, not doing many breakdowns during their 30 minutes (not counting the covers or bonus EP; more about them later). So, it is furiously served, there's no doubt about it. I have to admit that I do not have many memory imprints after the album is over. It's just for feeling beat up when the album ends... and during it! The songs do have some progression in them, e.g. 'Blood for Blood', but the effect for me was "is this another song or still track 2???"

The album was lengthened by adding two cover songs and the formerly unreleased 3-song 'Promo '97', which is more goregrindy stuff, reminding of old Carcass, but still the Stockholm death metal influences are abound. It comes with more demo-style sound; it's not bad, but actually transparent, yet somehow disjointed. Easier for the ears than the album, though! As for the cover songs, especially Hypocrisy's 'Osculum Obscenum' sticks heavily sticks out, pointing out how Incarnated's own songs are so indiscernible. Impaled Nazarene's 'Ghettoblaster' includes some great double kick drumming, and again, sticks out well.

If you want basic goregrind mixed with basic Stockholm death metal, then you may find something of interest in this album. Otherwise it is best to left unconsumed, because it might leave you ungratified. Fuck, my ears feel like stuffed turkeys!

Rating: 4 (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
01/20/2022 11:09