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Ingested – The Architect of Extinction

Every year sees progression in metal. Clean vocals, layer after layer of programming and the rise to prominence of technically challenging material has took up roots in metal as thy

10 years ago

ingested-architect-review

Every year sees progression in metal. Clean vocals, layer after layer of programming and the rise to prominence of technically challenging material has took up roots in metal as thy knows it. Ingested have been plying their trade since the “golden” days of deathcore and, while only borrowing some elements of the genre, the quintet from Manchester have seen their own progression come to fruition with The Architect Of Extinction. Their third full length in 5 years is a hefty dose of exactly what 2015 needs to get it jump started.

Surpassing The Boundaries Of Human Suffering was a warning shot from a band putting their stamp on things with gore soaked lyrics and and slamming death metal. Subsequently, The Surreption a couple of a years later proved that Ingested definitely still had a bow but were perhaps a string or two amiss. Chuck all of that out the window because The Architect Of Extinction has a set of big, metal balls that the debut and sophomore releases only teased at revealing. Much like the lyrical themes present here, an overwhelming sense of oppression cloaks the record. Wave upon wave of genuinely brutal music hits home and hits hard too. Among the chaos of relentless death metal riffing and tar thick beat downs there is variety in the execution of what is quintessentially solid death metal song writing.

The constant fleeting between full speed ferocity and sludge like breakdowns is made possible by some altogether wholesome death metal riffing and an exemplary performance behind the kit. It would be dishonest to say that the guitarists never leave the lower frets of their guitar, and they craft some mighty fine riffs in the location, but there are few examples where the fretboard is really explored, the lead work in ‘Extinction Event’ as the exception proving the rule. Some riffs do feel recycled due to this but the sharpness of the guitars and the presence of a grumbling bass keep kids moving in mosh shorts worldwide. Drummer Lyn Jeffs is constantly thinking one beat ahead of the pack, syncopating with truly sick precision, always pushing the next shift in tempo, whether drastic or minute.

Praise should be given where praise is due and vocalist Jay Evans deserves it in spades. On top of his sublime gutturals he has some of the best phrasing in the land. His staccato commands in ‘The Divine Right Of Kings’ are just as percussive as any kick drum and, some studio techniques aside, Evans’ bite and bark are of equal measures on this album. Hold the praise when the band branch out into brief forays of acoustic and slower material. Promise that the band may be on the verge of a change-up, but are not quite there. Filler track ‘Penance’ is pretty, sure, but is technically just a “slamterlude” in the grand scheme of the record.

All signs point to good things to come from these Mancunian mosh maestros. The band have hit the nail on their head with their version of brutal death metal and the future will surely see them improve and expand on what is a solid death metal album in The Architect Of Extinction. Efficient, brutal music from the UK. What else is to be expected from a country so grey and miserable?

Ingested’s The Architect Of Extinction gets…

3.5/5

-MM

Matt MacLennan

Published 10 years ago