Flying the tattered and frayed yet mightily stern flag of Death Metal for the past two decades plus is what New York veterans IMMOLATION are masters of. Transgressing every trend in the multi- cross breeding and ever pollinating heavy music set the Yonkers natives raise the bar higher with every successive release. "Majesty And Decay" exemplifies this fact religion baiting lyricism calling out the hypocrisy of holy treason, whilst wielding blasphemy as a sledge to crush god's ugly and fetid face. The infirmed Nazarene no doubt pisses his frock when these boys inhabit a rehearsal loft, charged with sinister ideas.

Robert Vigna administers supple doses of his formulaic molten lava riff age summoning forth the ghost of Piggy entangling in spirit essence with Trey Azagthoth. What transpires is eerily sinister, archaic and disorienting. A style in its own indeed and central to death metal's dire need for innovative ideas. "A Glorious Epoch" endorses the end of all civilization, the final solution to economic collapse. Giant hands as majestically large as earth stretch out, cultures crushed to particles, slipping through ancient fingers like sand through an hourglass. The image, though nihilistic, irreverent and apocalyptic, is beautiful. The music that serves as its soundtrack, devastating and Richter scale tripping.
 

The drums alone are enough to induce heart murmur. That's another trait that distinguishes Immolation from the plethora of other death metal bands, their tribally patterned drum syncopations. During blast beat intervals Steve Shalaty slightly meanders either behind or ahead of the beat, a barraging clutter not quite in sync with the four way independence. Similar to silverware being thrown down a flight of stairs, yet oddly hummable and crassly on cue. This album has a plethora of variety. From the hypnotic repetition of "Majesty And Decay" to the frighteningly fast and aggressive pacing of "A Token Of Malice" to the abstract dementia (reeling spectres included) of "The Rapture of Ghosts". Prepare for social ranting and vilification of all things that the world offers in false jest set to a ferocious musical attack!!