Manchester or Slamchester as it is known in slam death circles saw the arrival of Ingested in about 2006 and since then they have churned out a number of fine death metal albums and in some respects spearheaded the whole UK slam scene that was to emerge subsquently. I have followed the band since I first saw them support Napalm Death in 2007 witnessing their change from an all-out brutalising machine to one of more murderous finesse and technical aplomb, though in recent years I’ve been less impressed with their live shows, mainly due to the image change of their vocalist, which just looks ridiculous to me for a death metal/slam band.
The bands seventh album sees the band veer slightly away from the slam riffing and adopt a more symphonic approach akin to the likes of Fallujah, where the deathcore riffing exploits and colossal expansive production has a vast enveloping soundscape. The title track kicks things off as a semi-acoustic intro piece is blasted aside by the initial slamming riff, which is very cool I might add as it links into the insane speed of the drumming. There is a definite symphonic death metal touch here, not like Septicflesh or that ilk, more a subtle embedding of effects and atmospherics to craft an opening you might not ordinarily expect from the band.
‘Shadows In Time’ is up next and now that you’ve adjusted to the slight change of approach you can fully immerse into this album as the chunky riff will have heads nodding right before the hyper blasted speed that ensues, as the noticeably cleaner production ensures everything is in focus, no instrument is lost in the mix, all pristinely balanced for maximum impact. Ingested have always been a band that has been a step up from other acts, primarily due to their song writing as this album has a certain classiness that goes beyond most other acts in this field and equal to the likes of as Vulvodynia, Carnifex, Whitechapel etc as the band always blends the slam elements with technical dexterity seamlessly as ‘Tides Of Glass’ offers an eerie riff as its opening forte. I did enjoy the double kick pattern that matches the riffing style as the song grasps you by the throat and holds you there, throttling the life from you before ‘From Hollow Words’ follows. Here it is death metal destruction, where the chugging riff is exceptionally cool reeling you in with its addictiveness as here you get the instinct the band has reined in the speed slightly, to focus on a more ambitious journey.
I will admit that quite a lot of this album blended into one, which isn’t criticism as such just the way the album flows from one song to the next creating an all-round experience that fans will like as the excellent ‘Echoes Of hate’ shifts the attention back to blasting assaults as another act came to mind listening to this, Lorna Shore, though not as symphonic. Closing the album is the hugely different ‘Scratch The Vein’ where its calming start mirrors how the album started to some degree before switching to a slower death metal strategy minus the atmospherics I’ve mentioned for the most part. The song caught me out and whether this is a tease on where the band will go next I’ve no idea but the song is interesting in its own right with the more melancholy shift though retaining the bands intensity of course.
Another fine album from Ingested, one that sees the band venturing into new territory as I look forward to hearing the songs live, maybe in Slamchester.
(8.5/10 Martin Harris)
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