ALBUM REVIEW: Rotting Incarnation of God – Profanatica

When the time comes for someone to write the definitive history of US Black Metal, PROFANATICA will rightly take their place alongside the likes of VON and ABSU as the innovators of the craft. Born out of the ashes of the legendary death metal act INCANTATION, the band have carved themselves a large and respectable legacy within extreme metal, with five full lengths, five EPs and various demos and splits standing as a testament to their musical prowess and influence within the black metal scene at large. Their latest record, Rotting Incarnation of Christ, is one of the band’s more acerbic and grating effort, standing as a vicious and feral milestone in an already impressive and diverse cannon.

Right from the start of Liturgy of Impurity, it becomes apparent that this is a far more sepulchral and dirty sounding record than many of the bands earlier efforts, with dense, sludgy bass hooks, grating guitars, punishing drums and thick vocals providing a much rawer and more feral sound. It’s a bleak piece of music that sets the tone for the rest of the record really well.

Prayer in Eclipse, a brief yet brilliant slab of caustic black metal, continues in much the same vein as the opening track, with crushing rhythms creating a dark and oppressive sound that pummels the listener throughout, and not losing any of its intensity, leaving a short, yet powerful, effect on the record. Broken Jew is another fleeting, but nonetheless ferocious, aural assault that makes excellent use of frenzied, energetic guitar and drum fills to make for a far more chaotic and unpredictable sound, with every second of this song having a sense of urgency that makes it memorable from the very first listen.

Washed in the Blood of Lord starts with a razor sharp guitar line, counterpointed by a tar thick bass line and cacophonous drumming, with vile, acidic vocals adding a hellish rasp to the proceedings. It’s a solid mid-paced track with plenty of powerful, yet dark, moments, that it’s hard not to love from the first listen. Sacramental Cum is a much steadier and more robust affair, with a few notable acerbic flourishes thrown into the mix, proving to be a far more epic and haunting affair than many of the songs that have preceded it, with some noisy, dissonant passages helping to make this song as jarring as its predecessors, in spite of its grandiosity. It’s a sprawling track that sees the band exploring the full scope of their sound, and proves to be an early album highlight in spite of its length.

Mocked, Scourged and Shit Upon is easily the album’s most aggressive and visceral offering, with the music proving to be a cacophonous whirlwind of frenetic drums, buzz saw guitars and the dense sonic punch of the bass acting as a great backdrop to the as always acidic and bellicose vocals. Tithing Cunt is another brief yet brutal slab of caustic black metal with a solid, rumbling bass being the focal point around which the rest of the music builds. It’s a monolithic and thunderous piece of music from PROFANATICA, and leaves an impression in spite of it being a very short and to the point track. The album’s titular track provides more than its fair share of sludgy bass lines, which act as an anchor for the monstrous guitar hooks, authoritative drums and roaring vocals, which combined give an old school, ferocious take on blackened death metal, without one side of the sound dominating the mix at any point. Primal chords and ruinous rhythms are the backbone of this offering, making for an epic yet rabid slab of aggression.

Eucharist in Ruin proves to be another gnarly, chaotic piece of music with some tight, yet fierce, melodies, atonal drum patterns and crunching bass lines, which provide a great backdrop for the, as always, rasping and visceral vocal assaults. This is a monolithic and sepulchral blast of grinding, ravenous music that only serves to add further depth to this album. In My Kingdom closes the album with a much sharper and more focused affair, with tight, tremolo picked guitars adding plenty of fantastic hooks to this song. The drums and bass set a punishing pace in the background, with the vocals carving through the mix like a rusty knife and adding a hellish rasp that counterpoints the overall density of the rest of the music. It’s a brilliant way to bring the album to a close, and leaves the listener eager to hear more.

Rotting Incarnation of God is a fantastic record, even for a band with an already impressive track record for putting out great albums. It’s interesting to note that whereas many bands tend to soften their sound as they progress from record to record, PROFANATICA only seem to get darker and more sepulchral in their writing and production. It’s a brilliantly raw and acerbic affair that makes for a primal and savage listen, with little in the way of light or punchier motifs. It’s got some really good rhythm sections that really help to drive the rest of the music on the album, and the band do a great job of jumping between primitive, caveman hooks and far more chaotic, soaring musicianship, making this an album of extremes in the best kind of way. This is, quite easily, one of the best records PROFANATICA have put out in recent years, and it could honestly prove to be one of their more memorable and celebrated albums in years to come.

Rating: 9/10

Rotting Incarnation of God is set for release on October 11th via Season of Mist Underground Activists.

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