incantations

Incantations
$11.98
I remember when back in 1976 I could not decide if I loved Ommadawn more than Wish You Were Here. Both these albums released in 1975 were my most favorite albums of all time back then. How surprising is that almost 35 years and some 10,000 albums later... they still are within my first 5. Another album which is not at the very top only because music by the same artist is already there is Mike Oldfield's Incantations. I remember waiting for it almost 3 long years and being so grateful to Mike for not disappointing me when it came out. The music is spectacular but are many of us capable of appreciating it especially now? I would recommend listening to it once from beginning to end but if you decide that is not your cup of tea, please play part 4 only. I would put it on repeat 1 and listen to it for a few hours. You should get hooked. To be very honest I don't listen to complete Incantations very often these days. My compilation Mike Oldfield's Early Momentum contains Incantations Part 4, complete Ommadawn, Hergest Ridge Part 1 and Tubular Bells Part 2. That all fits on 80 minute cd and we still mostly listen to 5 CDs on shuffle at our office/showroom...all day long. Incantations are a beautiful piece of music from its first to last minute. It is perfect music to read to, just as you would to Brian Eno's Music For Airports. The music is louder on Oldfield's album, more instruments and higher tempo but the idea is similiar, the growth is repetitive and if not minimal than flowing in a peaceful way. After Incantations (1978) came Exposed (1979), Platinum (1979), QE2 (1980), Five Miles Out (1982), Crises (1984), Discovery (1984), The Killing Fields (1984). All the above are really good albums. Platinum started Mike's trend of composing a suite and pairing it up with some...pop songs. To be honest I have not listened to any of the albums following Incantations in the last 20 years but I think it is time for me to come back to their suites. I still remember that music well. However, there is very little doubt in my mind that Mike's most phenomenal music came to life between 1974 and 1978 when he was composing Ommadawn and Incantations. They are true musical jewels of the 20th Century. Another jewel I should mention is Sally Oldfield, Mike's sister who has appeared so often on his albums including this one. She is a great vocalist and if you don't mind beautiful pop music you should try to get Sally's Water Bearer or The Collection of her music. Mike's brother Terry was playing flutes on this album and as well is an accomplished musician.

Mortal Throne of Nazarene
$8.98
here we go, Incantation...whats there to say? A very original band, John McEntee seems to have a vision of some sort...a sound, a place he goes with his music..some might call it hell, or just realy down low death metal. The printed lyrics helps alot on this record, cause damn the vocals are low...like hellaciously low. i recommend listening to this album while layin in bed at night...cause you wont sleep...its a trip..support death metal, buy it!

Onward to Golgotha
$16.98
Though they've long since taken a back seat to their more innovative contemporaries, New Jersey's Incantation was once perhaps the most ferocious and impressive American DM band outside of Florida. While Immolation and Suffocation took time to fully develop their sounds, Incantation's raw doom/death assault was intact with their debut "Onward to Golgotha." Many classic DM era recordings emanating from Sunlight Studios and Morrisound now have a somewhat forced, artificial feel, but "Onward to Golgotha" maintains a sheer force of sound unmatched in the era. This is pure, untamed doom/death that oozes from the speakers in a nearly undifferentiated mass of thudding bass drums and infectious tremolo riffs all topped by Pillard's rarely matched growl. Though Incantation lack the adventurousness of some of the best DM bands, they display a sort of specialization that separates them from the generic masses. While Obituary is most commonly lauded for effectively introducing slower tempos into straight death metal, "Onward to Golgotha" utilizes doomy passages more prominently and more effectively than in any other true DM release I've heard. (Also, while purportedly slow DM is often actually quite groovy and midpaced, Incantation really take things down to the sludgy depths.) Equally significant, Pillard's unearthly roar is easily the most effective ultra deep growl I've heard, and is beautifully suited for muddy excesses of the instrumental accompaniment. Simply put, this is some of the darkest, most malevolent sounding DM ever recorded.

On the downside, while most first-rate death metal transcends pure sound and contains memorable, distinctive songs, the same cannot be said for "Onward to Golgotha." Not a lot in specific stands out, apart from the general progression of sounds, as album opens emphasizing typical DM blasting and trem-riffing before moving to the more doomy and varied middle section and finally returning to a more speed-oriented approach for the closing tracks. That said, though I'd have a hell of a time picking any standout tracks, or, more precisely, explaining why such tracks are superior to the rest of the album, the uniformity of "Onward to Golgotha" does little to dampen my enthusiasm for it. While the individual tracks may not standout, the album does as a whole does, and stands as one of the most striking and immediately distinct releases of death metal's golden age. Check it out.

Primordial Domination
$11.98
look all you death metal fans.primordial domination 2006 by incantation
is really great i think. but i'm just one person but if you love metal that sounds like it comes from the darkest depth of hell okay then you need to get this cd.INCANTATION RULES..