It was nearly five years ago that Fatal Visions, the last album from Norwegian blackened thrashers Inculter, became a staple of my afternoon jogs and workout sessions. The violence, chaos, and darkness that fueled the album was undeniable, channeling the spirit of black metal’s first wave and thrash at its peak with a frightening confidence. Although its been a few years since I gave it a wholehearted listen, Fatal Visions always lay in the back of my metal-ridden brain. So when the news came out that Inculter was back with their long awaited third album, Morbid Origin, I was all aboard.
If there’s anything I’ve learned in the few years I’ve been doing this “online metal journalism” thing, it’s that I should go into an album with zero expectations one way or another. As much as I like to believe that I’m able to suspend all preconceived notions before embarking upon a new listen, I must admit that I’m guilty of the opposite. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t go into this latest Inculter album expecting another hellish feast of brutal black-thrash. What I got instead, while equally compelling, was radically different.
There comes a time in every thrash band’s lifespan where it’s time to “grow up”. The lyrical content becomes more sophisticated and the music becomes more ambitious, usually drawing from traditional metal and prog as opposed to the straightforward speed attack of past output. Morbid Origin is that album for Inculter. Don’t get it twisted: When this album thrashes, it thrashes hard. Cuts like “Death Reigns”, “Children of Demise”, and “Lethal Salvation” are unrelenting exercises in thrashing insanity, pushing both the listeners’ eardrums and neckbones to the limit. Whatever’s left of the drunken pizza thrash crop doesn’t stand a chance next to these ragers.
Contrasting these deadly attacks are songs that emphasize midtempo heaviness and meandering passages above all. One can’t help but think of Master of Puppets era Metallica when listening to lengthier cuts like “Age of Reprisal”, “Extinction”, and the title track. The guitar solos are melodic and well thought out, while the overall songs plod on with a doom-esque aggression. Thanks to its raw old school production, there is a primal darkness surrounding this album that’s unavoidable. However, I’m hesitant to label it a blackened thrash release. At times it borders on such, but at the end of the day, this is a straightforward thrash album.
Am I disappointed that Inculter have toned down past extremity for greener pastures (AKA a thrash gone heavy metal hybrid)? Not really. If anything, Morbid Origin proves that Inculter can do more than “just thrash”, and do so without boring the listener stiff at that. I feel that subsequent albums will see them improve and expand upon this formula in ways we can’t even fathom, perhaps even earning their way on a year end list in due time. Until then, I’ll put on my monocle, fill up my pipe, and immerse myself in the elevated thrashing stylings of Morbid Origin.
7 out of 10
Label: Edged Circle Productions
Genre: Thrash Metal
For fans of: Nekromantheon, Metallica, Testament