Who ever said that death metal couldn't have plenty of groove to it? New York's Immolation proved it was possible on their classic 1991 debut Dawn of Possession, reissued and remastered here by Metal Mind Productions. Not a band to blind the listener with dizzying blasts of speed (although they could and did do that as well from time to time) Immolation were more about thick, technical riffs, powerful rhythmic grooves, and tortured, demonic death metal vocals. Riffs from both Robert Vigna and Tom Wilkinson were just piled on top of each other in a boiling, tumultuous pattern, while the dynamic bass and drum work of Ross Dolan and Craig Smilowski offered up plenty of complex rhythms. As the years went on, Immolation just continued to get heavier and more technical, and these days are one of the more respected of the complex death metal bands alongside such acts as Nile, Decapitated, and Behemoth. This early album fits right in alongside albums by their peers like Obituary, Morbid Angel, and Deicide, brutal death metal bands who were intent on taking over the extreme metal world.
Cuts like "Those Left Behind", "Despondent Souls", and "Internal Decadence", never let up, with massive "Black Sabbath on speed" riffs and Dolan's menacing growls maintaining the focus of the music. In fact, when they do decide to keep things at an uptempo doom speed, like on "After My Prayers", the music takes on an unearthly yet tumultuous groove laden turn, with plenty of thick guitar riffs and waves of pounding bass and drum fills. This is certainly music made to create a mosh pit frenzy!
Immolation have proven for years that quality death metal was not always found in Florida, but that a bunch of confident New Yorker's could also pummel the scene and keep up with their peers from the Sunshine State just fine. This is extreme and brutal stuff here, so if you didn't check it out the first time, order up a copy of this new digipack remaster and savor the intense sounds of Dawn of Possession all over again.
Track Listing
1. Into Everlasting Fire
2. Despondent Souls
3. Dawn of Possession
4. Those Left Behind
5. Internal Decadence
6. No Forgiveness (Without Bloodshed)
7. Burial Ground
8. After My Prayers
9. Fall in Disease
10. Immolation
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