INCITE

With the benefit of hindsight, a lot more fuss should have been made about INCITE over the years. Formed in Phoenix, Arizona, just over 20 years ago, Richie Cavalera's crew have been a persistent, uncompromising presence, with a growing catalogue of brutal, high-octane records and a formidable reputation as an explosive live band. On its surface, "Savage New Times" will simply be the next in a long line of albums that have flown under the radar, but just as 2022's "Wake Up Dead" appeared to hasten the band's forward momentum, so this new collection of neck-wrecking anthems looks sure to do the same.

INCITE's trademark blend of barbarous thrash, concrete-chewing hardcore and, on occasion, nods to the CAVALERA legacy is still as fresh as it was when they released 2009's "The Slaughter". "Savage New Times" is a much bigger-sounding record, with a crushing, cutting-edge production and none of the low-budget scratchiness that affected earlier albums. Moreover, INCITE have clearly had a surge of songwriting confidence, because these are some of the most heavyweight tunes they have ever released.

This is also the angriest record Cavalera has ever made. From the opening blast of "Lies" it is obvious that some emotional throat-clearing is going on, and there are several moments that support the notion that INCITE are getting heavier and more extreme as the years pass. First single "No Mercy No Forgiveness" sounds strategically designed to incite violence, and tears along at a breathless pace, riffs and polemic colliding in perfect, mechanistic union. "Just a Rat" is a bitter tale of betrayal and greed set to impossibly muscular riffs and squinty-eyed aggression. The slow-burning horrors of "Dolores" unfold over six minutes of scurrilous sludge and murderous syncopation, all heavy with melancholy; and shorter, sharper jabs to the eyeball like "Feel This Shit (I'm Fired Up)" and metal-punk blitzkrieg of "Chucked Off" are snotty, thrashy and utterly militant in their desire to smash things up. The roots of thrash are clearly audible at most points along the way but INCITE have shaved off all the extraneous trimmings and reduced the genre down to a surly, myopically focused barrage of bile. Cavalera, who has led this band with guile from the start, has never sounded more committed. In accordance, his band have never sounded more convincing.

A couple of deviations from the punishing norm point to further possible evolutions. "Never Die Once" has the angular, monochrome feel of left-field hardcore, shades of FUGAZI oozing from the ragged riffs and grinding, sludged-out grooves. Similarly, "Doubts and the Fear" dabbles in more cerebral moods and unlocks a darkness that INCITE have only hinted at previously, while also evoking the high-spec modern thrash of EXODUS. Meanwhile, the closing title track takes the direct approach, rattling along like a rapacious, speed metal juggernaut with a gleaming, groove metal engine, Cavalera's barked barbs raining down like shrapnel. Savage is about right.

One way or another, INCITE are going to smash some faces in with their seventh studio album. If there is any justice, they will batter their way to a more privileged position in the metal hierarchy, because this is an impressive display of viscera and vitality.