Entrantment of Evil

So, this is the EP Incantation released two years before their majestic debut album "Onward to Golgotha", with a fairly different lineup including Will Rahmer of Mortician fame on vocals instead of Craig Pillard. As an obsessive maniac of chronological order, this was also the first Incantation release I ever listened to, around a decade ago, and these four little tracks were enough to instantly make me a convert. All of these songs would later be re-recorded on "Onward to Golgotha", but the main difference here is the production: far more raw and unrefined than anything Incantation would later record, and yet at the same time a tad more discernible compared to the band's usual sound (similarly to Nuclear Death's first demo compared to their later works), allowing a deeper look into these legendary slabs of cavernous death metal.

I think the biggest difference anyone would instantly notice (myself included, back when I first heard the EP) is the drum sound: oh, that motherfucking drum sound. So raw, primitive, kinda amateurish, with that delightfully sharp snare put right at the forefront, giving the blast-beats a kind of sloppy, live-sounding, savage feel that has always been lacking from other Incantation recordings, where the drums are generally buried within the deliberately muddy, obscure wall of sound. I have to admit it was kind of a letdown for me not to hear this drum sound again on later records.

Guitars sound rawer as well, but also clearer at the same time: they're far more trebly (in a kind of 80's fashion), still cutting well enough through the mix despite the loud snare drum occupying most of the high frequencies, and allow the riffs to be heard better than on "Onward to Golgotha", where Incantation's trademark muddy, bassy sound would be perfected. It's an interesting experiment: it allows us to look with more clarity at the meticulous, labyrinthine architecture of these songs, to better see the small details that would sound more distant, abstract and difficult to grasp on the album - pretty much like looking at the insides of an elegant Ferrari to see the gears.

And I have to say, there are no big differences to be found: these songs were already pretty much finished long before "Onward" was recorded. From what I can gather, most of the album was seemingly already written before Paul Ledney left the band (his role in Incantation, if only for a small time fraction, will never receive enough praise). And so, most of the song structures and the small details that constitute these four tracks on Incantation's first record, can be found pretty much unvaried and intact on this EP, with the benefit of a clearer-than-ever albeit still reasonably rough-sounding rendition: the ever-flowing, labyrinthine tremolo riffing, the breaks, the strategic pauses, the slow sections, the odd time signatures of certain riffs (such as those on "Eternal Torture"), the atmospheric climaxes followed by sudden cathartic blasts (such as the one you can't forget from "Unholy Massacre" - c'mon, you know which one I'm referring to), the sudden tempo changes and weird guitar/drum recombinations that still somewhat manage to make sense within the compositions, tying the songs together - hell, even a seemingly insignificant detail such as the evil-sounding, malevolent pinch harmonics in the intro of "Entrantment of Evil" is already present here, as if it never was a casual embellishment, but an intrinsic component of the song since its inception!

Some brief words on Will Rahmer's vocals: they're pretty much in line with what you can hear on early Mortician recordings released around the same time: a more regular, gruff kind of growl compared to the guttural monstrosities he would later spew on masterpieces such as "House by the Cemetery", "Hacked Up for Barbecue", "Zombie Apocalypse", "Chainsaw Dismemberment" and "Domain of Death". He even sounds less guttural and cavernous when compared to the performance the mighty Craig Pillard would later deliver on "Onward to Golgotha". Still, it's interesting to hear this different interpretation of the material, perfectly in line with the generally rougher, "fuzzier" nature of this recording session.

Basically, from a songwriting standpoint, these are exactly the same songs later heard on the album, and they sound just as masterful and ingenious - albeit presented with vastly different aesthetics, justifying a specific interest in these particular recordings (if you like this type of raw sound) compared to their more well-known ones. This, in my eyes, is enough to make "Entrantment of Evil" one of the greatest death metal EPs of all time (not the greatest, only because Dismember's "Pieces" still exists): a wonderful appetizer before the main meal, allowing us to better observe and admire the unbelievable amount of craft that went into these complex, mysterious, ineffable tunes, even long before the album was a reality. A raw-sounding, true piece of sheer death metal genius.

The Entrantment of Evil EP debut is the introduction to one of the biggest pioneers in all of death metal. Incantation is also one of the big four of death metal bands hailing from New York. Interestingly enough, the original singer, who goes by the name of Will Rahmer, founded the brutal/deathgrind band Mortician (credited as one of the big four as well) after his departure. So compared to the likes of Suffocation and Immolation for being the two more stable bands (the latter being the most consistent), I don’t think Will gets full credit. Not only being a pioneer, but he formed TWO bands that essentially established New York’s death metal sound. I never thought I would mention the big four of New York’s death metal scene in a single paragraph…

Along with Will, you also have one of two guitarists and the drummer that didn’t stay for long after 1990. Hell, they probably aren’t active anymore except for their tenure in Incantation, so who knows where they are nowadays. But like Will, I’m sure somewhere they’re credited for their contributions. At least the bassist stayed until the band’s debut album in 1992, titled Onward to Golgotha. That’s pretty much about him. This only leaves the second guitarist. John McEntee, who’s not only the remaining original member of the band, but eventually took over the vocal duties. Though that’s another story for another time, as Incantation caught this ugly disease of enormous and unsteady musician replacements.

The opening title track is pretty straightforward when it comes to the drums and riffs. The vocals are very similar to that of Baphomet‘s, although the music is faster and brutal. My favorite aspect of this EP is the thunderous, yet melodic guitar shreds in Eternal Torture, and the fast growling adds texture to the sound; already refining New York’s chaotic style that one should not underestimate. Then you have a traditional song like Profanation, which the band recorded at least three more damn times in later releases, as this version is beyond listenable. Perhaps, being one of the band’s “hit” songs, the first version hasn’t captured my attention very well. Maybe the re-recorded versions would sound better.

Of course, there’s room for improvement. For a release that is certainly destructive, raw and chaotic, its awful production and the lack of attention to the bass’s mix are otherwise diminishing results. Surely enough, the band put the message out and recorded what they intended to record, and they accomplished that with minor issue. While the songs aren’t necessarily bad, including the shorter ones, Eternal Torture and Unholy Massacre got me hyped. The latter in particular offered some doom (or death/doom) vibes, paired with the ferocious speed of the band.

The first time I heard the opening of Entrantment of Evil... I laughed. No joke. The production is absolutely shit, the double bass is weak as fuck and sounds like a 12 year old slapping a pot or some shit. But then the distortion kicked in and the riffs and sinister vocals warmed themselves over me and took over. This is Incantation's first EP all the way back in 1990; primal and evil death metal. We all know Onward to Golgotha and onward and the legendary status Incantation now holds.

I have the re-released EP from '91 featuring the 1 minute long random sound filled intro song. Pointless, yes, but it's there to help to add to the sinister and dirty atmosphere Incantation goes for. Of the four songs featured here, three are featured later on their monumental debut album with Eternal Torture not making the cut for whatever reason, I'm not well versed on Incantation history. Anyway, it's a damn shame as Eternal Torture is a damn fine fucking riff fest full of thrashing brutal death metal, with brutal blasting and insane winding riffing. John McEntee's vocals are low and brooding, guttural and gruesome, slowly maintaining the evil level. The low end guitar tone and overall sound of this EP fills your lungs with dirt and shit and you feel like you're being dragged into the bowels of hell; something Incantation manages to do a lot.

Blasphemies thrown around, Entrantment of Evil is a solid EP of solid fucking death metal. It's not the polished shit you'll hear nowadays; there's no Rutan-isms, there's no ultra tight and technical, but it's uncontrolled chaos with furious blasting. It's nice to hear for example, on Unholy Massacre the variations between fast riffing and the slow grooving death metal, haunting and evil. Though, it's a bit hard and annoying at first, the vocals do their job, sort of like Baphomet... in your face and lowly distorted breathing into the microphone. Incantation go on to release their famous debut, with a better showing of their evil death metal, but the Entrantment of Evil EP is a solid premiere showing of their earliest material.