Ingested has a very rare quality: it knows how to impress and surprise with every album. Since 2006, the Manchester band has released six albums, all of which are more than worth listening to. And let’s make no bones about it, including the seventh album, The Tide Of Death And Fractured Dreams is another blast full of the concretely hard, ear-bruising death metal that has made Ingested one of the biggest acts in the genre.
Musically, the band has developed its own unique style over the years, in which elements of brutal, slam, classic death metal and deathcore come together. On Ashes Lie Still (2022) they are already experimenting with adding melodic accents on guitar and synthesizer and more attention is paid to the structure of the compositions. This adds an extra dimension to the sound, without sacrificing intensity. Perhaps on the contrary: by making clever use of silences, delays, melodic elements and breakdowns, the brutal character of the riffs is further emphasized. Aggression and refinement at the same time.
On The Tide Of Death And Fractured Dreams Ingested takes the next step on the path taken with its predecessor. Each song is carefully composed: by combining different stylistic elements, each riff and each segment gets its own character and they flow seamlessly into each other. In addition, a clever game is played with rhythm and tempo, so that the music continues to surprise. Each song is like a freshly baked roll, made from dough into which the baker has kneaded all kinds of ingredients, so that you are surprised by a new taste sensation with every bite.
What makes this album so successful is the fact that despite the complexity of the compositions, they still have a natural progression and naturally carry the listener along. It is almost impossible to describe the many subtleties used: each song offers a different vista of emotions and auditory impressions. It would make a person less poetic. Now take the opening song, Paragon Of Unity, which uses contrasting vocal styles over various types of riffs, alongside a slam breakdown and haunting guitar melodies that occasionally weave through the vocal lines. The end of the song is then so slow and brutal and pounding, with the vocals so low and intense that the bricks are vibrated out of the wall.
Each song also has something of its own, something recognizable. Like the stop-start slam riff in Endless Machinethe brutal deathcore breakdown Where No Light Shinesor the tribal riff at the beginning of Starve The Fire. Then you also have the surprising clean vocal harmonies and the contrary drumming In Nothingnessthe clear deathcore influences Pantheon and the complex weave of the closing title track, which occasionally has Mastodon vibes. And I could go on like this for a while, because with every listen you discover something new.
Despite the compositional finesse, the core of Ingested’s sound remains intact. The band still shows that recognizable, fine feeling for infectious rhythms and grooves, while the riffs blast loudly and tight from the speakers and the gentlemen stay away from technical highlights that would only distract. The fans can rest assured in that respect: the band does not deny its hard roots.
It is a pleasure to listen to this album. There is not a weak song on it, although the first half is slightly stronger than the second, with Where No Light Shines and Expect To Fail as absolute highlights. The balance is also fine. The instrumental Numinous provides peace halfway through and a welcome change from the heavy work that comes before, with lots of clean guitar work and atmospheric violins on the synth. This allows you to play the entire album in a single listen without getting bored or overwhelmed by too much violence. Kudos also to the beautiful artwork. And an extra thumbs up for the production, which ensures that every nuance is heard clearly. Great work, Ingested.
Track listing:
1. Paragon Of Purity
2. Endless Machine
3. Where No Light Shines
4. Expect To Fail
5. Starve The Fire
6. Numinous
7. In Nothingness
8. Patheon
9.Kingdoms Of Sand
10. The Tide Of Death And Fractured Dreams
