Band:	Feared
Album:	Furor Incarnatus
Style:	Progressive death metal
Release date:	February 21, 2013
A review by:	BloodTears

01. Live In You
02. Breathing Failure [feat. Per Nilsson]
03. Psycho Logic
04. Vintersol [feat. Fred Brum]
05. Possessed
06. Satan
07. Warbound
08. Devil In White
09. Neverlasting
10. Impeding Doom
11. Forever Old
12. End

Judging the album by its cover, initially I thought this could be a gothic metal album but that couldn't be further from the truth. In reality, Feared is the brainchild of Ola Englund, known as the guitarist of Six Feet Under. He not only wrote the music but also produced and mixed this album. Kevin Talley is the drum machine behind the kit and Mario Santos Ramos lends his vocals to the tracks.

Furor Incarnatus is interesting because it reaches into so many places. It is extreme and melodic at the same time; it ventures into death metal as unabashedly as thrash and groove with considerable technical prowess. The album is coherent from beginning to end and you are glued from the moment you hear the first song "Live In You". If you could project Furor Incarnatus into the live arena, Feared would be one of those bands which would make you headbang instantly and give you immediate satisfaction. At the same time, it is not "disposable metal" which leaves you with nothing after you listen to it.

The very Nevermoreish (for lack of a better term) "Vintersol" in guitar tone and the fast and furious "Warbound" are particularly explosive and consistent songs. They represent some of the best examples of the qualities of Feared. "Possessed" showcases those powerful and invigorating growls which standout throughout the album. Originality is not exactly predominant; you find similarities with Fear Factory (especially in the vocals and some riff structures like the song "Neverlasting") and Machine Head but that is not an obstacle, it just adds to its variety. Also, Englund doesn't shy away from acoustic/slower parts and the guitar solos are tastefully done. The album's closing piece "End" is just him and his guitar doing the magic and closing the curtain on a perfect note.

It if wasn't for some subpar songs, it could've been ever better. But there is still plenty of riff worship to go around on this album, which is punishing, great sounding and well-paced. To sum it up, there is nothing to fear here, this is one of those records you will want to hear.

Highlights: "Vintersol", "Warbound", "Live In You" and "Possessed".