FATHER BEFOULED

It is interesting to think that Relapse Records released INCANTATION's "Onward to Golgotha" in 1992 and 18 years later release FATHER BEFOULED's "Morbid Destitution of Covenant", an album cut in large part from the very same cloth, albeit with patterns of fabric taken from 1994's "Mortal Throne of Nazarene". That Relapse signed FATHER BEFOULED in the first place is indicative of the resurgence of a style played by a wave of bands not only following a similar blueprint, but doing it well and with genuine passion.

Few bands do the death/doom style the kind of justice heard on "Morbid Destitution of Covenant". It's got the unearthly feel and pure malice so important to the methods of madness employed by group's peers. The creepy Catholic mass-isms sprinkled about, including the seven minutes of fright that closes the album ("Now Desecrated"),and a chilling symphonic intro called "Inno Sepulchrum" make the experience that much more ghastly. Capturing the essence of fear is a key component, but would be useless without good songwriting to go with it. The album features a haunted cache of crush 'n squawk riffs and decimating shifts from the doomy to the breakneck. That most of it comes with a degree of familiarity is hardly an issue. A few real attention-grabbing moments are present as well, including the mournful and malevolent soloing on "Testament of Unholy Essence" and "Vomiting Impurity", respectively.

If old-school, dirty and diabolic death metal with cavernous growls and a direct inspiration from INCANTATION is not something in which you've much interest, then the choice for you is a simple one; don't buy it. Or perhaps you've always wanted to take the plunge, but wasn't sure which INCANTATION album with which to start. In that regard you could start with "Morbid Destitution of Covenant" and work your way backwards, grabbing copies of releases by DEAD CONGREGATION and IGNIVOMOUS on your way down to the muddy bottom. The filth inhalers that just can't get enough of this well played and solidly written stuff should now be familiar with the drill and probably pre-ordered from day one. And they were completely justified in doing so, as "Morbid Destitution of Covenant" is as good a representation of death/doom as you'll find in 2010.