Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Angelcorpse - The Inexorable [1999]


Angelcorpse’s sophomore ‘’Exterminate’’ was by far their most efficient release, even though its predecessor ‘’Hammer Of Gods’’ held an even more savage aura, and Angelcorpse’s final offering of the 90’s proves to be logical continuation of the previous record, yet for some reason, it’s their third release, ‘’The Inexorable’’ which appealed to me most. While the third siege may seem like an almost exact copy of the previous release, there are some nuances that make up all the deviation it needs to progress and thrive even further, despite the fact that the differences in between the two records are genuinely very little. ‘’The Inexorable’’ arranges the fulsome spectrum of riffs that previous albums possessed and puts them in order, thus giving birth to even more mature structures and riffs, more consistent patterns and more balanced elusive manoeuvres. With ‘’The Inexorable’’ the music reaches its utter peek in ripeness and the aftermath of the storm is (as always) nothing but sheer destruction.

Angelcorpse’s compositions have improved, and they have positioned their black and death metal textures even more carnally this time. The death metal half of ‘’The Inexorable’’ is just as it was on the previous record, robust, tantalizing, brutal and copious, boasting savagery and culminating annihilation, but the black metal side of the coin has differed, embracing the dispersing elements even more than before and giving more room to utter complexity and brain tangling riffs – proving to be quite varying over only single songs. The choppier yet cleaner tone also deserves laud, sustaining the bridge between crushing and energetic at all times. With nearly all of its implements properly placed, ‘’The Inexorable’’ becomes an even more efficient piece of artillery, and its hooks are bound dig even further into your flesh, because the band has also gotten rid of most of the hindrances that had the potential to mar the riffs and affect their diversity, so the album ultimately packs a more boggling punch than its predecessors.

Its maturity is the only aspect that separates it from its peers, and frankly it’s the only aspect that puts off metalheads that are more into the savage and blunt edge of Angelcorpse, rather than its riper side. ‘’The Inexorable’’ does have a small negative side, though. AS it focuses too much on the fertility and fullness of the massive, crushing guitar tone, it leaves the drums and bass almost in audible. In exchange, the album does attain a more enveloping sound and aura, but also becomes nearly devoid of one of Angelcorpse’s crucial intensity attributes; the drumming. While straightforward death metal overtones may render the drums clean, the blackened bestiality is far too cavernous for the drums to sustain complete audibility, therefore, they are sometimes rendered clean and sometimes inaudible. But even though the drums are sometimes marred, it does not prevent the riffs in general from possessing efficiency. ‘’The Inexorable’’ is probably not the favourite Aneglcorpse album of many, but to me it is, with its sharp hooks and everything. ‘’Exterminate’’ is very closely behind it, but my decision is likely to change frequently. 

Highlights
''The Fall Of The Idols Of Flesh''
''Stormgods Unbound''
''Smoldering In Exile''

Final Rating
Masterpiece [9/10]