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Post by Whisper Supremacy on Mar 16, 2016 8:30:53 GMT 7
Incubus - Beyond the UnknownNuclear Blast Records - 1990 1. Certain Accuracy 05:36 2. The Deceived Ones 03:26 3. Curse of the Damned Cities 05:39 4. Beyond the Unknown 04:31 5. Freezing Torment 05:05 6. Massacre of the Unborn 04:59 7. On the Burial Ground 06:11 8. Mortify 03:41Moyses M. Howard - Drums, Lyrics Francis M. Howard - Vocals, Bass, Guitars, Lyrics Recorded and mixed at Morrisound Recordings, Tampa, Florida in June 1990. Tom Morris - Producer Markus Staiger - Executive producer S. Crisp - Cover art [ DOWNLOAD ] * Openload
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Post by Crucial Review on Mar 16, 2016 11:25:39 GMT 7
The well-traveled crossroads intersecting thrash metal and early (early) death metal is one of many blurred lines and instances of conjecture. Without knowing the state of mind the musicians were in at the time of recording, one can only guess as to whether or not there was a conscious effort to blaze altogether new trails, or simply continue pushing thrash's boundaries, which had honestly already reached critical mass. Enter Louisiana's Incubus, who dropped a couple of true thrash/death juggernauts in the late '80s, their debut even predating the venerable Altars of Madness! Beyond the Unknown is the second, and by a margin more impressive of these two albums; and while I have personally witnessed some confusion between this act and the Florida/Georgia haven for displaced Morbid Angel members (Rest in peace, SVS), this Incubus is the one you want in your corner.
For the sake of coherency, one can conceivably dissect this album based on the tropes it pulls from each extreme. The rationing of riffs screams more death metal to my ears, so comparisons to Demolition Hammer, Energetic Krusher and the like aren't necessarily as precise as the final product may suggest. The brothers Howard make a fine showing for only two individuals, and Francis rolls out fluid, cryptic and unforgiving riffs of extremely high order without cessation. Beyond the Unknown as a collective effort is worthy of praise, as is the fact that it is laid out in a very digestible manner, perfectly suited for the occult-laden climes the music delivers. Each and every song is a trenchant entanglement of murky grooves and bristling tremolos. Hardly the riff soup it could have been, the album's busier moments retain just enough constructive reason to hold proceedings together, no matter how scattershot the riff delivery becomes. All things considered, there is a reasonable-enough level of variation, as some tracks like "The Deceived Ones" play with a more sundering, midpaced template to counterpoint Francis' divebomb solo work.
The duo careens through a reasonable eight tracks in just under forty minutes, and not a moment is spared via directionless. I get a distinctly surgical, streamlined vibe from Beyond the Unknown as well, perhaps a facet of the cleaner production values. Although a margin of that oft-revered coffin dust atmosphere is lost in the process, I can't say that it necessarily draws material this strong downward. I could see a few listeners hankering for some more sticky melodic lines, but the rhythm section is in such coherent lockstep with the lead that the percussive nature of the material carries it as far as required. Citing individual standouts is going to be difficult, but I did notice that "The Deceived Ones" proudly represents the old metal cliche of the second song being the most midpaced and/or groovy. "Curse of the Damned Cities" is also a powerhouse on a multitude of levels, taking fair advantage of Moyses' live-sounding, polished drum mix and raging through a multitude of swinging riff patterns and bulldozing sections. Stellar stuff.
And finally, taking into account that the band members emigrated from Brazil, the final piece of the puzzle seamlessly falls into place. There is without doubt a vibe not wholly dissimilar to early Sepultura at work here, separating Incubus from designation as just another deadpan Morbid Angel clone, although it would be a misnomer to totally eject such comparisons. So while the individual components aren't as distinct and/or unique as they could have been, what really matters is how the recipe comes together, and Beyond the Unknown is a complete meal. While the band did manage to trigger a few ripples in the underground, they sort of got lost in the shuffle afterward, further obfuscating their legacy by the late '90s name change possibly related to the omnipresent popularity of the Californian rock band. That said, Beyond the Unknown has managed its fair share of proponents in recent years, myself among them. A few reissues are in order, if anything to view that killer cover art in its full glory. In any event, such a competent balance of violence and power is hard to come by, so go ahead and stream a few tracks; you'll thank me later.
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Post by Crucial Review on Mar 16, 2016 11:28:15 GMT 7
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