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Virginia tech death metallers Applaud The Impaler have made a long-awaited return with their brand new full length release titled Ov Apocalypse Incarnate. Their first actual full length and first release for several years now, it's time to get to it and see what they're all about.
A drastic, yet intruiging shift from their previous deathcore-esque formula, this dozen track (about 45 minutes or so) album features deadly Armageddon like themes, rough, in-your face vocals, fast paced riffs and more. Ov Apocalypse Incarnate was released via the Unique Leader Records label, widely known for acts such as Ingested, AlterBeast & Pyrexia.
The material on here is reminiscient of older tech death(core) bands such as the likes of Abiotic as well as Beneath The Massacre to an extent. The album is rather lengthy, but it doesn't feel like it overstays its welcome due to the crushingly brutal speed at which it progresses from song to song. There are some breakdowns, but they're used fairly at a minimal level, with the band's main focus being on showcasing a variety of over-the-top riffs (lots of tremolos, arpeggios, some chugging and the like), destructive mids akin to oldschool Knights of the Abyss, and nonstop blast beat drumming. There is a little bit of oldschool deathcore and even at times grindy aspects thrown in with the transitions in structure, but I digress.
Even the intro track tries to throw everything your way to give you a general feel for the sound...and other songs like 'Trenchrot' and 'Angel Lust' are hard-hitting bangers in their own right because of their mixture of shredding and chugging altogether. 'Hellmouth' also makes for a nice buildup track that leads into the self-titled song, which is another one I'd recommend. Overall, I can't really think of any songs I didn't like aside from the outro song feeling a bit long and drawn out, though it does top it all off nicely with an orchestral score-like finish.
This is the solid and hard-hitting comeback that oldschool fans have been waiting for from Applaud The Impaler. The album utilizes the techy atmosphere and almost sombre elements to its advantage nearly every step of the way and it never lets up for too long or leaves you empty-handed, in a figure of speech. It's lightning fast and it's got a ton of riffs and ideas that will easily satisfy plenty fanatics of the more technical sides of death metal or even deathcore for that matter. Ov Apocalypse Incarnate is a hard recommend and a heavyhitter for the year 2019 for sure.
Fave Tracks: 'Trenchrot', 'Mung Farm', 'Angel Lust'
For Fans Of: The Breathing Process, Beneath The Massacre, Through The Eyes Of The Dead, Trigger The Bloodshed
**This release is available now here and at other fine retailers!**
New music video/single below courtesy of Slam Worldwide:
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-Review by: Dave Raffy
Musician, reviewer, fan & promoter
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