Saturday, April 24, 2010

ITP REVIEW: IMMOLATION: MAJESTY AND DECAY



BAND: IMMOLATION ( NEW YORK YONKERS-USA) GENRE: DEATH METAL LABEL: NUCLEAR BLAST RELEASE DATE: 3/9/2010 (3/8/2010- EUROPE)
PREVIOUS RELEASES (CATALOG): SHADOWS IN THE LIGHT (2007-LISTENABLE RECORDS), HOPE AND HORROR (EP-2007-LISTENABLE RECORDS), HARNESSING RUIN
2005-LISTENABLE RECORDS), BRINGING DOWN THE WORLD (DVD-2004-LISTENABLE RECORDS), UNHOLY CULT (2002-OLYMPIC RECORDINGS), CLOSE TO A WORLD BELOW
(2000-METAL BLADE), FAILURES FOR GODS-(1999-METAL BLADE), HERE IN AFTER- (1996-METAL BLADE), STEPPING ON ANGELS...BEFORE DAWN (BEST OF COMPILATION-1995-REPULSE RECORDS),
DEMO (1994), DAWN OF POSSESSION (1991-ROADRUNNER RECORDS), DEMO (1989), DEMO (1988)

BEST RELEASE(S): FAILURES FOR GODS (1999), HERE IN AFTER (1996), CLOSE TO A WORLD BELOW (2000)

TRACKLISTING: IMMOLATION: MAJESTY AND DECAY: 01. Intro
02. The Purge
03. A Token Of Malice
04. Majesty And Decay
05. Divine Code
06. In Human Form
07. A Glorious Epoch
08. Intro
09.A Thunderous Consequence
10.The Rapture of Ghosts
11. Power And Shame
12. The Comfort of Cowards


ITP RATING: ****
PRODUCTION: **** 1/2
SONGWRITING: *** 1/2
PERFORMANCE: ****

(VIDEO BELOW: IMMOLATION MAJESTY AND DECAY CD TRAILERS):



IMMOLATION are a legendary New York Death Metal (NYDM) band with an extensive career of raising the bar for death metal. IMMOLATION are an institution of sorts in death metal and as the band nears it's 25th anniversary, MAJESTY AND DECAY is sure to sear itself into the consciousness of the most passionate death metal fans. IMMOLATIONS "Majesty and Decay" feature the two extremes of shorter and longer tunes with IMMOLATION's trademark speed and brutality and also slower tunes with distinct riffing adding variety to IMMOLATION's songwriting arsenal.

IMMOLATION'S "MAJESTY and DECAY" kicks off with an ominous, dark intro, creeping into the abyss of blackness....and then..

"The Purge" blasts into oblivion with progressive riffing, and quality vocals via bassist ROSS DOLAN: “Wipe us all out, it's what we deserve, cleansing this planet from our disease”..All of what makes IMMOLATION great, is still represented in their majestic darkness, and quality, trademark riffing.

"A Token Of Malice" burns brutal embers played with speed, solid riffing, intensity and quality production. Siiiick. I just wish the tune was longer.

The title track of IMMOLATION'S "Majesty and Decay", creeps in at a mid pace with Robert Vigna's awesome, evil guitar tone. "Majesty and Decay" ups the ante at 1:59 as the tune takes a brutal thrash/death turn and then back to death and roll rifing.
IMMOLATION's "Divine Code" enters with a distinct majestic riff, played tight as the tune morphs into IMMOLATION's trademark speed and brutality.

IMMOLATION's "In Human Form" blasts in with a usual dark atmosphere, catchy riffing, tight playing as the tune slows down to almost mid pace death/doom.
IMMOLATION's "A Glorious Epoch" enters in at an epic mid pace with a bluesy/ groove riff invoking a death doom feel. Ross Dolan's vocals are consolidated with the dark riffing for an epic dark, tune.

Track 8 of IMMOLATION's "Majesty and Decay" is the intro for "A Thunderous Consequence".

"A Thunderous Consequence" sears your brain with a mid pace, and streamlined catchy riffs, less technical than older IMMOLATION tunes focusing on dark, bleak atmospheres.

"The Rapture Of Ghosts" enters in with a catchy riff, repetitively played with Vigna's sick guitar tone. "The Rapture Of Ghosts" picks up the pace with a good a dark atmosphere, good solos, until the tunes conclusion.

"Power and Shame" is classic IMMOLATION, showcasing a consolidation of awesome speed, brutality, dark atmosphere and good, progressive, riffing (1:24) ..Good tune, sick shit.

IMMOLATION's "Majesty and Decay" closes with "The Comfort of Cowards", a brutal, powerful tune, of sick blasting, good riffing and dark, bleak atmospheres. IMMOLATION's "Majesty and Decay" features quality production from Paul Orofino at the Hudson Valley Area New York's very own MILLBROOK STUDIOS enhancing each instrument and also Robert Vigna's awesome guitar tone.

IMMOLATION offer up a variety of quality songwriting, "MAJESTY and DECAY" focusing on doomier atmospheres, good catchy groove based riffs and time changes via Steve Shalaty's quality drumming.

While, some might complain that some tunes on IMMOLATION's latest opus are slower with streamlined "stock" riffs, over all "Majesty and Decay" is crushing, dark, unholy and well worth the listen.

ITP RATING: ****
PRODUCTION: **** 1/2
SONGWRITING: *** 1/2
PERFORMANCE: ****

Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-