Source: Album Art
Incarnate has been a record we’ve been going crazy about for a long time. We can’t actually believe it’s been almost three years since Disarm The Descent and the triumphant return of Killswitch Engage‘s first vocal powerhouse, Jesse Leach. The sheer power of that last record did two things. One, announce to the world that Killswitch were back with a big FUCK YOU! And two, make the idea of a worthwhile follow up album all the more difficult. Album number seven then, does it have the balls to live up to what’s came before? Can this album ensure that Killswitch Engage keep hold of their reign over the metalcore genre?
Fortunately we’re at liberty to answer that question with an array of journalistic genius, and yes. It can. Incarnate is a complete whirlwind of heavy, solidifying that metalcore (although sneered at by many) is real, and capable of birthing some pure musical ivory. Killswitch Engage’s textbook formula of mashing together metal and melody is even stronger on this record. With Leach at the helm sporting his biblical vocal range. We’re left with an arsenal of anthems each utilising varied musical stylings, creating a technically diverse yet entertaining experience.
It’s easy for bands to fall into the cess pit that is monotony, endlessly churning out songs that all have next to no difference at all. Killswitch though have forged a track list that uses the whole pallet of metal to it utmost. There’s elements of hardcore, metal, acoustic you name it. It’s all in there. We could literally compliment this album all day, it’s practically impossible to find faults in it. ‘Until The Day I Die’ has some killer guitar work teamed with a catchy singalong chorus. ‘Embrace the Journey… Upraised’ is so fucking hardcore. Starting out slow and sludgy before blowing up into a lightning paced mosh cocktail. It’s always a relief to have an album that isn’t carried along by the success of it’s previously released singles, and although ‘Hate By Design’, ‘Strength Of The Mind’ and ‘Cut Me Loose’ are all brilliant, Incarnate has so much more to to offer with its titanic track listing. This little number started with questions about balls and we guess now is the appropriate time to say the bollocks this album has are ginormous. King Kong cajones. Scrotum jokes aside though, hats off to Killswitch Engage. Take a bow boys, you made a masterpiece!
