| Musical Style: Metal/Thrash | Produced By: Thomas Wilson |
| Record Label: Independent | Country Of Origin: Canada |
| Year Released: 2008 | Artist Website: Incarnate |
| Tracks: 17 | Rating: 85% |
| Running Time: 60:30 |
Incarnate started as a collaboration between Unforsaken vocalist/drummer Thomas Wilson and bassist Sheldon D’Costa. D’Costa, who was part of Unforsaken at the time of the recording of its self-titled demo from 2000, wrote several songs intended for inclusion on Unforsaken’s 2005 full length debut, Not Alone, that were too heavy to fit the bands sound. The two, as a result, put together Incarnate and work soon began on an album – a demo entitled Believe In Me (made up of two songs and a sample track) was released in 2002 – but, due to conflicting schedules and career goals, the project was placed on hold indefinitely. Until now. Wilson recently re-mastered the original guitar and bass tracks (D’Costa is no longer involved in the project), re-recorded his vocal tracks and added several new compositions of his own as well. The end result is the fall of 2008 self-titled full length debut from Incarnate.
Incarnate can best be described as straightforward heavy metal with strong thrash overtones. The likes of “Paradise Lost”, “Incarnation” and “Death’s Demise”, for example, walk a fine line between metal and thrash while hard hitting tracks “Prodigal” and “Psychotropic Terror” are, for a lack of better words, as heavy as they get. “Believe In Me” and “Fallen Star” represent up-tempo pieces with catchy chorus hooks and “The Sacrifice” and Petra cover “It Is Finished” (off Beat The System from 1984) a joining of the melodic and the heavy. All in all, if you are a fan of Borders, Antithesis, Debellum, Tourniquet, Barren Cross and older Ultimatum then I can see you getting into Incarnate. Those who enjoy Unforsaken – or melodic metal and hard rock in all its forms – should also find a lot to like in Incarnate.
Wilson continues to bring his rich and textured mid-ranged lead vocal style. Being that Incarnate heads in a heavier musical direction – at least in comparison to Unforsaken – the album finds him adding an occasional element of grit and aggression to his delivery, which perfectly complements the musical direction taken here. Wilson splits rhythm and bass guitar duties with D’Costa while D’Costa handles lead guitar, best exhibiting his soloing abilities on “Believe In Me”, “Fallen Star” and “Psychotropic Terror”.
Guest appearances on lead guitar are made by JD Evans (Letter 7), Brad Windlan (Pastor Brad), Jon Hooper (Unforsaken), Jeff Lewis (Sympathy) and Raymond Christie. As you could imagine with the level of talent involved, the lead work represents one of the albums highlights. If you ever wondered what it would be like to hear JD Evans and Pastor Brad trade off then check out “Paradise Lost”. “Prodigal” and “Incarnation” features duels between JD Evans and John Hooper while Pastor Brad and Hooper contest on “The Sacrifice”. Rounding things out is Chris Dickens (Mission Of One), who lends his bass guitar abilities on three tracks, and keyboardist Steve Johnston (his work adds a lot of dynamic to “It Is Finished”).
Production values are very solid for an independent release. The rhythm guitar – heavy as all get out and right up front in the mix – is produced to near perfection and joins a fluid mix of lead guitar. The low end comes across thick and pronounced. The only constructive comment to add is that the drums could have received a slightly cleaner mix (not a detraction but must be mentioned nonetheless).
Lyrically, Incarnate is a concept album that breaks down into two “acts”. Act I is panoramic in its portrayal of events starting with the “war in heaven” (from Revelation 12) and culminating with the resurrection. Act II revolves around a prodigal son-like story about an individual who falls away, returns and is accepted back with open arms but still faces temptation. The artist sums things up best: “Act I is intended to explain not only WHAT Jesus did for us, but WHY He had to do it. Act II then illustrates an example of how His story is still relevant today - how He can make a difference in someone's life.”
“Rebellion” opens Act I to narration detailing the “war in heaven” resulting in Satan being cast down to the earth (again, as depicted in Revelation 12). Eerie keyboards and a touch of piano add to the ominous backdrop.
“Paradise Lost” represents one of the finest hybrids of metal and thrash this reviewer has heard in some time. The song begins its first several minutes to a pummeling rhythm guitar backed by harshly delivered – almost extreme sounding – narration. The unrelenting environs sustains itself as “Paradise Lost” plows through its first verse, impetus building even further for a catchy chorus underscored by a storm of pounding drums. JD Evans and Pastor Brad tear it up on lead guitar. The fall of man is the subject matter here:
It started with a question
The sowing of the seeds of doubt
Did God really tell you
Did He truly forbid
A simple taste of good and evil
To learn what it’s all about
Will He see what’s done in private
Will He really know what you did
Now the world feels the curse
Paradise has been lost
Can we ever be redeemed
What needs to be done
Tell me what’s the cost
“Fallow The Star” is an interesting piece that commences to Gregorian vocals that transition to a choppy rhythm guitar upheld by a forward bass line. The frenetic scene gradually builds until things culminate for a crescendo of hard hitting riffs, initiative abruptly tapering as a crying baby can be heard followed by a voice stating “God made into flesh”.
“Incarnation” immediately cuts in at once. The song proceeds to plow through its first minute and a half as a forceful rhythm guitar backs a trade off between JD and Hooper. As “Incarnation” quickly storms ahead, it transition between its heavy duty verse portions – the rhythm guitar really makes its presence felt – and instrumental passage that find JD, Hooper and Wilson exhibiting their blinding soloing abilities. This one is incredibly heavy but incredibly catchy at the same time (kind of like “Paradise Lost”). Lyrically, “Incarnation” focuses on Christ:
Here to teach us of God’s love
Showing us the way to live
Touching hearts and changing lives
Giving all He had to give
Miracles for all to see
Told us of His origin
He was the incarnation
Of the Creator’s Son
For God so loved the world
That He gave His only Son
That whoever should believe
Will see new life begin
A bit more of a melodic direction is taken on “The Sacrifice”. Standing out with its mid-tempo leanings, the song might not be quite as heavy as those preceding it but delivers its share of muscle nonetheless. The quality, irregardless, does not drop off in that “The Sacrifice” brings a refined chorus – accented by a highlighting trace of keyboards – and a tasteful lead guitar duel between Hooper and Pastor Brad. “The Sacrifice” builds upon the lyrical themes established on “Incarnation”:
A night of prayer
In the garden
Feeling all alone
As sleep took His friends
The time was near
Anguish consumed Him
He longed for another way
But He knew the Father’s plan
There must be a sacrifice
He laid his will down to save us
Giving us His life
He did what no one else could do
Became our sacrifice
“Golgotha”, a short piece carried by narration portraying the crucifixion, leads the way to the Petra cover “It Is Finished’. While the Petra version of the song moved in a melodic rock direction in featuring a prevailing mix of keyboards, the Incarnate rendition, as one would expect, comes across faster and more aggressive with its galloping riffs and brief but succinct guitar solo. Keyboards make their presence felt but not in such a pronounced manner. All around, the artist provides for a “metallized” interpretation of “It Is Finished” while staying true to the spirit of the original.
“Death’s Demise” combines elements of the heavy and the melodic. Heavy in terms of its crushing verse portions – again, what we have here is another big guitar sound dominating a metal/thrash influenced environment. Melodic in terms of its compelling chorus in which heavy duty (but complementary) backing vocals make their presence felt. An emotionally charged piece, “Death’s Demise” focuses on the resurrection:
His story didn’t end with death
He made a promise to rise from the grave
Destroy the temple, I’ll build it up again
We didn’t understand how could it be done
In just three days
He was slain to bring about death’s demise
He rose again to carry out death’s demise
Took back the keys to death and hell
Releasing slaves that Satan took when mankind fell
Act II begins to “Ways Of The World”, a short number (1:13) opening to a stretch of guitar that gives way to a piano.
Two of the albums heavier songs, “Prodigal” and “Psychotropic Terror”, follow.
“Prodigal” is a monster of a track, six minutes of hard charging metal driven its distance by a towering guitar riff backed by pummeling drums. What stands out about the song is the effortless transition it makes from its overpowering verse portions to a slow and driving chorus that almost gives rise to a doom-like tincture. JD and Hooper just plain shred on lead guitar. “Prodigal” is aptly entitled:
She’s breaking out into the world
She’s old enough to be free
She doesn’t hear words of wisdom
She doesn’t care, she does not see
Stepping out on her own
She sees at last that this is not
The life she set out to find
She starts to think about her home
And what she left behind
She never dreamed that so much pleasure
Could ever lead to so much pain
The hulking “Psychotropic Terror” proves no less effective (and heavy). The song gets underway to a spacey keyboard solo that gives way to a smashing rhythm guitar, trudging its distance to a thrash flavored joining of pulse pounding riffs, shouted backing vocals and high-octane soloing (courtesy of D’Costa and Hooper). No, this might not be the albums catchiest piece but its weighty environs and all out energy puts it over the top. “Psychotropic Terror” deals with a drug addict who turns to the church for help only to be turned away:
Ask me no questions, I’ll tell you no lies
About the hidden terror deep within my mind
Depression driven, chemical induced
Paranoia nurtured, psychotropic terror
As the rivers of madness
Are flowing through my veins
You turn a blind eye
To my terror and my pain
Where have you gone when I need a friend
How will I return, I’m nearing the end
Psychotropic terror will destroy what’s left of me
“Desperate Times”, a three minute speed metal instrumental, embarks to some pounding Deliverance-style riffs before taking off in a fast paced manner. Hooper proceeds to cut loose with his velocity driven soloing abilities, adding just the right amount of edge to the relentlessly driven scene at hand.
“Believe In Me” maintains the up-tempo heading. The song starts to a crunch heavy instrumental opening prior to navigating its first verse to a forward bass line as the rhythm guitar cuts in and out of the mix. Gaining in tempest as it steadfastly moves ahead, “Believe In Me” culminates for a catchy chorus in which the rhythm guitar establishes itself fixed and firm. Jeff Lewis (Sympathy) pulls out all the stops on lead guitar. “Believe In Me” is written from the standpoint of God calling out to a lost soul:
No more lonely days, no more sleepless nights
I will heal your pain and dry your tears
You can count on Me, I will never leave
Never forsake you to the end
If you believe in Me
You won’t be lonely tonight
If you return to Me
I’ll make everything alright
If you believe in Me
You won’t have to be all alone
I’ll give you a brand new love
One that you’ve never known
“The Return Home” is a reprise of “Paradise Lost”. How does it compare to the original? One of the main differences is the instrumental opening reinforced by a keyboard solo followed by a stretch of soloing from Pastor Brad. The other is the use of the previously referenced keyboards (which find their way throughout the song), helping led to what can be described as a more emotional environs- at least in comparison to the original. What the two share, of course, is the same driving rhythm guitar sound. Chris Dickens’ punchy work on bass guitar stands out as well. As the songs title implies, the prodigal returns home:
What started with rebellion
Has led her to so much pain
But now she’s heard the voice of Jesus
Calling her to come back again
Prodigal has returned
They can see the change
Now she’s not the same
All her fears fade away
Friends and family
Welcome her back home
“Resolution”, a reprise of “Death’s Demise”, is compelled its short (:53) distance by a quietly played guitar.
“Serpent’s Lie” closes out Act II in hard hitting fashion. The song plows through its first and second verse to an aggressive rhythm guitar, not smoothing out until reaching an instrumental section opening to a keyboard solo that changes over to more of Hooper’s blazing lead work. The forceful atmosphere returns as “Serpent’s Lie” moves on to its third and final verse. “Serpent’s Lie” talks about exactly that:
You speak only serpent’s lie
I know where you’re going to
He who follows you will die
You have no place in my life
No control over me
I don’t care what you may say
Only God can set me free
You’ll be beaten in the end
Holy truth will justify
I know where you’re going to
He who follows you will die
“Fallen Star” was included as a bonus track because it does not fit the lyrical themes of either of the albums two acts. The song stands out with its huge guitar riff- catchy as all get out and guaranteed to stay with you for some time. Up-tempo in capacity, the song brings the same type of standout chorus with a hook every bit as gripping. The fiery lead work of D’Costa and Hooper only adds to the energetic milieu. Lyrically, “Fallen Star” deals with a musician who has his priorities misplaced:
You leave the stage walking in the clouds
You’ve never felt this way before
The cheers are like a drug that swarms your brain
As you hear them cry out for more
But lately you’ve begun to realize
The crowd’s loyalties can sway
The fame you had was a gift from God
And now He’s taken it away
Review by: Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing (Act I): “Rebellion” (1:50), “Paradise Lost” (4:46), “Follow The Star” (3:01), “Incarnation” (4:43), “The Sacrifice” (2:57), “Golgotha” (:40), “It Is Finished” (3:51), “Death’s Demise” (5:22)
Track Listing (Act II): “Ways Of The World” (1:13), “Prodigal” (6:14), “Psychotropic Terror” (5:10), “Desperate Times” (2:54), “Believe in Me” (4:50), “The Return Home” (3:21), “Resolution” (:53), Serpent’s Lie (4:00)
Bonus Track: “Fallen Star” (4:29)
Musicians
Thomas Wilson – Lead Vocals, Guitars & Bass
Sheldon D’Costa – Guitars & Bass
Guest Musicians
Jon Hooper, JD Evans, Brad Windlan, Jeff Lewis & Raymond Christie – Guitars
Chris Dickens – Bass
Steve Johnson – Keyboards
