The genre of death metal continues to evolve and grow, exploding with creativity, skill and some of music's most creative and gifted musicians, even though they will never truly be recognized in the mainstream. In 2013, the boundaries of death metal have been shattered with sub genres and styles that would have been unthinkable in the genre's formative years in the late 80s and early 90s. However, the pendulum also swings back to its roots- case an point the current Finnish and Swedish death metal revival. And as you listen to many of the so called retro death metal bands out now, it's clear that many of them are influenced by one band- Immolation. There are but a handful of 'legends' in American death metal. Bands so consistent influential and revered that they will always be regarded and lauded regardless of which way the death metal pendulum is swinging; Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Morbid Angel (despite their best efforts to sully their legacy with Illud Divinum Insanus) and New York's Immolation, though often being considered second tier to the previously mentioned greats, and never quite seeming to obtain the recognition of their peers , despite a rabid fan base and highly regarded 8 album discography over twenty years. So here is album number 9, three years after the lauded Majesty and Decay, and it shows that Ross Dolan and co are still one of the true kings of American Death Metal, and command your respect.
I have to admit, I was late to get on the Immolation train, having only really delved into their discography over the last year- as they were just one of the bands that never 'clicked' with me in my early death metal baptism. But as I have grown and gathered over 20 years of death metal listening, the light came on and I came to appreciate the churning, backwards atonal riffs as brilliance and the very personification of American death metal in the bands entire discography (thanks amazon). Through the 1991 debut, Dawn of Possession then a couple of nigh classic albums in 1996s Here In After and 2000s arguable apex, Close to a World Below through Majesty and Decay, Immolation have been about as consistent and rigid in their style as any of their peers, including Cannibal Corpse, the arguable bench mark for American death metal consistency. Only the production values have wavered between releases, from raw and primal to down right muddy and everything in between. And with the sudden interest and revival of Immolation inspired bands, Kingdom of Conspiracy is everything the band's discography has encapsulated over the last 20 plus years. They have continued to be stanch in their delivery and song writing in an era of trends and flash in the pan bands. The founding duo of Ross Dolan and Robert Vigna have a style that's instantly recognizable as Immolation despite the sea of clones. The only thing that has changed (again) is the production, this time the band favors and cleaner more clear sound, that might upset some purists but allows Vigna's signature riffs to breathe and expand in all their atonal glory, with Dolan's bass and trademark growls pulse with a clarity previously buried in the mix. One listen to the classic Immolation styled riffs that starts "Keep the Silence" and you know this is Immolation, no questions asked, and the entire album cements the band's style with polish and twenty years of confidence resulting on one of the bands better albums of the last 10 years. From more fierce, discordant salvos of "Bound to Order", "Indoctrinate" or "God Complex" through the band's magnificent, trademark, menacing churns like the aforementioned "Keep the Silence", the 5+ minute "The Great Sleep" and closer "All That Awaits Us", Kingdom of Conspiracy is pure, unadulterated Immolation playing pure, unadulterated death metal. No fads, no trends- just folded arms , growls and riffs- the way it was 20 years ago and hope the way it will be twenty years from now.