Prayers are to men as dolls are to children

Samuel Butler

Incantation has always stood out in the world of death metal. Whereas many bands have opted to dial everything up to be as fast and intricate as possible, Incantation’s sound displays a keen sense of dynamics. They are one of the few death metal bands that are adept at building atmosphere and mood.

They’re also one of the longest running death metal bands, having been around since 1989. Beginning in 2012, they’ve had a fairly rapid touring and album release cycle, releasing Vanquished in Vengeance, Dirges of Elysium, and Profane Nexus all in the span of six years. I caught them recently on the Relapse Contamination Tour at their stop at Chicago’s Bottom Lounge.