Baptized in Unholy Gore

With Incrust's Baptized in Unholy Gore you get the best of two worlds. They play a style of evil death-metal. Where they also extend to sections with blasts and then some slow, creeping doom-like segments.

This release is a split between two demos. Tracks 1-4 are from a 2003 demo, and tracks 5-10 are from an earlier 2001 demo. The music isn't anywhere off its mark within the two years' spacing. Also the production is right along the same line of thought. With the 2001 sounding louder and also with a purposeful dirtiness, and some more definition between the instruments. Nothing separated by a yard stick but with a close or approximate separation. Thick would be an understatement when referring to Incrust's overall production. The title perfectly captures the feeling of the atmosphere and the music: a swampy feeling of weighted instrumentation, surrounded by deadly, looming, decaying trees, emitting horrendous sounds.

The music plays frequently in fast contexts; either blasted or an every other hit faster beat. They will tread down to mid-paced and slower moments as well, to keep things busy and moving in different directions. The riffs take precedent and are mostly simplistic in execution. Often taking a few head-bangable notes and playing them blazingly fast. His guitar has a deep, misty layer as well. Occasionally tossing in deep chug, to add to the thick, swampy effect as well. These caked riffs are offset by a few higher pitched harmonic squeals scattered throughout both demos. The drums like the guitars have that same hazy layer overtop. With the snare most audible, although not as thickly placed on The Bloody Art of Torture demo (tracks 5-10). The drums are aggressively played and show off plenty of fills. Instead of blasting right through, he might break with a few snare or tom rolls. Guiding the music, the vocals are just as deeply placed and fitting to both demos on Baptized in Unholy Gore. Mostly they are in the monotone style of death-metal. Reminding me of earlier Incantation vocals; along with the slower sections as well. His throat travels down using his whole diaphragm as a growled vessel, literally humming with bass-tone. Occasionally, there is a puking noise he uses to spice up a particular section. Probably him having to take explosive, gasping breaths between.

Both demos on Incrust's Baptized in Unholy Gore play a form of gut-retching death-metal. Spilling out forms of extreme-metal into a swampy pool, surrounded by a billowy atmosphere. There are some change ups to keep you busy. With a few slow death-doom sections and a few interludes placed in the beginning, middle and the very ending as a longer snippet. Releasing the 'Hellhearsal' demo and 'The Bloody Art of Torture' demo in one release is suited because both outputs—even though spaced by two years—show a consistent playing style. And I would like to see more from this band, as it seems we are left without a full length, and only about 26 minutes of actual music here. The inventive factor isn't high for both of Incrust's demos, yet the product works and isn't likely to break due to poor craftsmanship either, and I feel it is because these guys are able to adequately write an engaging song. They remind me of a more blunt version of early Craig Pillard era Incantation for comparative sense. Lending evilness to death metal, to have a no-holds, morals-barred release.

Incrust is one of the many great Hispanic death metal bands that I've been getting into lately, and their full length Baptized in Unholy Gore is very good. This band is incredibly violent, heavy, dark, and brutal (for a lack of better words to use). But the reason this band hasn't gotten a whole lot of attention, I think, is that they sound a little too much like a clone of other great death metal bands before them such as Incantation, Immolation, etc. But that's another thing that maybe makes this band appealing to some, they don't care about being unique or having the newest sound. This band is out to preserve what they believe is the greatest form of musical expression; brutal death metal. They wear their influences proudly on their sleeves and write damn good songs.

The sound on this CD has an atmospheric touch to it that really adds to it's impact on the listener. The sound is very primitive, and it's clear but not much more than demo quality which is the way these guys love it. These guys may not be that ground breaking, but they are no amateurs. But there are a couple qualities that I think have room for improvement; mainly the vocals. I do like the deep, guttural, and evil growls but I would like to hear a little more variety in his voice, it just sounds like something is missing.

Overall the musicianship is great and has a pretty good range. I look forward to seeing what Incrust will have to offer in the future, and judging by their pride and enthusiasm, it's going to be every bit as death metal as this one. If you're someone who likes to hear fresh new sounds and styles in metal then ignore this band, they don't want to win you over anyway.