While reviewing their previous opus, Acts Of God, I made it abundantly clear why Immolation are one of the best old school death metal bands to ever exist. Big words? Sure. But their catalogue supports my claim, even more so when compared to other heavy hitters that diluted their intensity with the years. With almost four decades of existence (goddamn!), they has stuck to their sound while still keeping their songwriting varied and intense enough to intrigue both traditional and alternative fans alike. They have meticulously made tweaks to their sound throughout their career. Now the production value of their music is truly something for the books, and a guiding light for any death metal band seeking a pummeling sound that elevates every aspect of their music while staying hellish and avoiding a lifeless clinical tone.
Despite some albums being less interesting than others, Immolation has kept an unprecedented consistency in both style and quality. I was, however, very glad that they returned to the much darker, hellish, more blatantly satanic tone from their old records. This was first hinted at with Atonement and the return of their old logo, but it was further built upon and fully fleshed out with Acts Of God. While the album was rather long for the style, I was so infatuated with a darker Immolation that the music quickly sucked me in. But if you were one of those that thought “this but shorter please”, then I’m happy to direct you to their latest work, Descent. By cutting it down to 10 tracks and less than 42 minutes, you will get a shorter, tighter and overall more intense listening experience. At this point, I should describe the music more thoroughly but I’m already drawing a blank here. Because it’s great. It is Immolation. If you heard them before then you know what to expect. I can’t blame the band for not being overly innovative, simply because of how well they play death metal. These guys are a well-oiled machine in no need of reinvention when the competition is not even close.
The pummeling riffs and wailing solos of Robert Vigna remain unparalleled as they are in a perfect balance of being both technical and atmospheric. Steve Shalaty has been the longest running Immolation drummer by a large margin, and he definitely deserves more praise in the metal scene. He is an absolute monster behind the kit, showing both frightening stamina and sophisticated variety. And of course how could I forget the demonic roars of Ross Dolan? The man has not slowed down in four decades, and somehow his tone becomes grimmer with time. His impeccable pronunciation truly makes him sound like a demon. These growls may lack some variation to some listeners but tell me: Is there a different style that better matches their music? Yeah, I didn't think so. One thing that surprised me about the music, besides the quality that is, was the symphonic instrumental track “Banished”, which is a neat palette cleanser before you reach the album’s furious title track.
And please can we talk little about that gorgeous piece of artwork that adorns this record? It took me a while to decide, but now I’m convinced it is their best. Yes, even better than classics like Dawn Of Possession and Failures For Gods. That terrifying look of an angel clinging to their wings, disintegrating as they fall to the scorching fires of hell. It is glorious in all its morbid beauty and a perfect representation of the band’s apocalyptic sound. So yeah, take a close look at the artwork. That is Descent in a nutshell. A furious, merciless, brutal yet captivating hymn to the darkness found in the world.
