The Pitch: UK deathcore band Ingested headbang their way through 10 vicious new tracks on Where Only Gods May Tread via Unique Leader Records. FFO: Aborted, Carnifex, Lorna Shore
What I Like: Sometimes the time is ripe for a big, dumb, groove-ridden deathcore record to get primordial and stomp around the house like a very "special" T-Rex. For those times, I'm thankful for bands like Ingested. While not possessing the same arthritis-inducing speed and technicality of Infant Annihilator or innovative new directions of the latest Within Destruction, Where Only Gods May Tread is undoubtedly the pure essence of deathcore distilled down to its most primal elements. Delicious, head bobbing chugs, cookie monster vocals, and pounding drums tap right into the lizard brainstem. And despite the very by-the-book direction, the results are far more engaging than the latest from former heavyweights like Suicide Silence and Whitechapel. The variance in speed from moshpit frenzies to more atmospheric trudges through the unknown keep things interesting. Speaking of the latter, it was particularly intriguing to hear the tortured, sludgey howls of Kirk Windstein (Crowbar, Down) on the deeply moody "Another Breath." Vincent Bennett (The Acacia Strain) and Matt Honeycutt (Kublai Khan) also make appearances on the album.
Critiques: Returning to comparisons to those other more forward-thinking deathcore releases, the overall derivative nature ot this record still leaves it at a disadvantage. It's an enjoyable listen to be sure, but I'm not sure it will have the same kind of impact or longevity. At 50 minutes it also feels a tad long for its overall uniform sound.
The Verdict: Where Only Gods May Tread is a pretty typical outing from the genre, but one that really seems to relish in its roots and bring enough energy to make for a fun experience nonetheless. Definitely worth a listen, and I'll be interested to see what the consensus seems to be.
Flight's Fav's: No Half Measures, Another Breath, Dead Seraphic Forms
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
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