INC: Black Hearse Serenade

One of the many bands who tried to burst out of the 80s US Thrash scene, Indestructible Noise Command hammered out a succession of albums between 1986 and 1990 without really making the breakthrough they desired. Move on a couple of decades or so and INC are back, a new rhythm section in tow and a slightly updated sound ready for judgement.

When I say a slightly updated sound, that's exactly what I mean, a few gigantic breakdowns added in to the steady thwacks of thunder and harsh, but not extreme, vocals you'd readily hear on many a vintage Metal album. It's an old school attack and one fans of Exodus or Onslaught will gleefully slake their thirst over. The key to this punchy rumbling raucousness of riffage is always going to be just how convincing a guitar assault they can catapult into your face; something Erik Barath and Anthony Fabrizi do with utter conviction and no little force. From there the drumming of Dennis Leeflang pile-drives everything forcefully into place as vocalist Dennis Gergely roars and implores you to stay the INC course.

There's also an involved and well thought through concept behind Black Hearse Serenade, and if that's your thing, the extra dimension a story about how an… "ill treated, religiously brow beaten child rises into a position of power over the less salubrious characters in society and leads them down an anarchic, murderous path" …certainly brings added depth to an album where forcefulness and musical brutality aren't in short supply.

In the end INC's return harks back to a day when Thrash was the new kid on the block and the genre felt like it could move mountains. Tracks such as "Stirring The Flock" and "No Turning Back" go to prove how effective this lot can be in that role. For some there's possibly not enough variety going on to truly grab you by the throat, or indeed to convince you that it's not still 1989. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, yet for INC to preach their message to more than the already converted, it's going to take a little more than to simply reawaken a sound of yesteryear in an admittedly convincing fashion. As a first step back, Black Hearse Serenade is solid, if not quite as explosive as hoped for.

Track Listing
1. Stirring The Flock
2. Sainted Sinners
3. Cyanide and Whiskey
4. Organ Grinder
5. Black Hearse Serenade
6. The Lies We Devour
7. Lucky #7
8. Invite This Plague
9. No Turning Back
10. Love Like Napalm

Added: February 1st 2015
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: INC on Facebook
Hits: 1619
Language: english

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