Incantation - Forsaken Mourning of Angelic Anguish
Review: Infernal metal with roots in both black and death metal traditions, Incantation have shaped songs from strips of scales in chords repeated at different paces, much like ex-members and primary influence Havohej. With their studied death metal poise and mastery of structural decomposition, Incantation assemble bizarre geometrics of song elements and combine them in effective, unfolding, and seamlessly narrative but simplistic and violent pieces.
In the way of most metal Incantation use simple elements out of the scale to build their riffs, often moving the same structures between different starting positions; however, where most metal will use a granular breakdown between these elements, or twist them in organic ways, this death metal band use strips of four to five power chords and play them on rigorously even rhythms despite mercurial tempo changes.
The charging monolithic and authoritative nature of this approach makes it terrifying alongside the low-bass rumbling vocals, degenerative bass growl, and shrieking torment of lead guitar that manifest themselves in strikingly even, yet erratically patterned, positions. In this style, four songs precede a Death cover, "Scream Bloody Gore," which is singularly excellent and shows the developmental eye of Incantation toward the subtleties of restaging a classic so deconstructively inspired. Further, this choice is brilliant in that as one of the more death metal Death standards, it emphasizes the similarities and directional advances of bands such as Profanatica, Incantation, Demoncy or Immolation.
1. Shadows From the Ancient Empire (3:08) 
2. Lusting Congregation Of Perpetual Damnation (Eternal Eden) (4:52)
3. Triumph in Blasphemy (Interlude) (:20)
4. Forsaken Mourning Of Angelic Anguish (2:25)
5. Scream Bloody Gore (4:46)
6. Twisted Sacrilegious Journey Into Our Darkest Neurotic Delirium (:51)
7. Outro (5:20)
With ambient sound texturing interludes and outro, this like every other Incantation release demands a response after the carefully narrative experience of the work. Where its instrumentalism or consistency might not be top notch, its approach to music explores one of the fundamental directions in which metal can still grow. Similarly to Havohej, this is idiot savantitude at its finest: the simplistic roaring madness which despite its ungainlyness seems assembled speaking a language of order as the implement of breakdown.
The Relapse version of this CD contains the following tracks from a live studio session featuring Craig Pillard of Ceremonium, the original vocalist on the Incantation classic "Onward to Golgotha." These are representative of the middle era of Incantation with the refinement in rhythm and arrangement that signifies adjustment through experience over time, and are heard clearly through reasonable garage/home studio production. Choice of cuts shows a frank and respectable recycling of what could be salvaged from the missing middle years of this foundational band. Tracklist: 8. The Ibex Moon (4:38), 9. Blasphemous Cremation (4:58), 10. Essence Ablaze (3:21), 11. Blissful Bloodshower (0:53); Length: 35:34.