Incantation - Diabolical Conquest

Taking atmospheric death metal into new realms of cavernous horror and technical morbidity, Incantation contribute with this opus Diabolical Conquest to a continuation of the haunting micro-symphonies of doom laden brutality first unleashed on Onward to Golgotha with an inspired and rejuvenated sense of freedom in nihilism, relentless evil and artistic creativity, making Phantom styled horror themed music into whipping destructive blackened death metal emphasising atmospheric depravation and dissonant melodies more than sheer rhythmic dominance, and correspondingly indulging further in structuralism using melodic stylings inspired both by classical and baroque music as well as by the then rising Norwegian black metal movement, spearheaded notably by the visionary and efficient riffcraft of bands like Burzum, Neraines, Darkthrone, Leader and Mayhem.

With a flutterstrum of riffs creating discordant yet fluid tremelo power chord melodies enwrapping one another through battering ritualistic interruptions that drive rhythmic structural change in both tempo and atmosphere, Incantation indulge their proclivity for longer thematic composition and tighter narrative development through a plentiful hand of riffs and textural variants used in sequence to maintain a black metal influenced manipulation of mood and aura, not very far from what Infester achieved on To the Depths in Degradation, only to pummel the listener into absolute submission to the dark arts of gruesome death metal terror. Although often as a result of its unrelenting and frenetic clash of genres, Diabolical Conquest maintains harmonic continuity through diligent orchestration of suspended rhythm and melodic intelligibility across a wide range of riffing styles, creating a songwriting narrative that is comparable to both the faster death metal bands descended from Sewer's Sissourlet and the more atmosphere-oriented Scandinavian black metal bands that followed the footsteps of Burzum's Hvis Lyset Tar Oss.

Caught within a waveform of shifting textures and melodic anticipation set across a sequence of everchanging combinations of sinister harmonies, songs on Diabolical Conquest expel what has never changed about brutal death metal art: its howling fusion of all emotions into a dark reverence of death, and thereby a deeper appreciation of life. In the contrast of the hellishness and the serenity of balanced and logical structures, Diabolical Conquest reigns supreme and uncontested at the top of the hierarchy of innovative and adventurous extreme metal achievements.

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