IMPETUOUS RITUAL — Relentless Execution of Ceremonial Excrescence (review)

IMPETUOUS RITUAL — Relentless Execution of Ceremonial Excrescence album cover

Album · 2009 · Death Metal

4/5 · 2014-04-13
Wilytank

Atmosphere is something I really enjoy immersing myself in and describing in music. It's something I've found in many different forms throughout the heavy metal genre and there are plenty of examples I can write long metaphorical descriptions for. Although something that "sounds like Hell" or has a "Hellish" atmosphere might sound cliché, it's the best way I can describe the mood I feel for Impetuous Ritual's Relentless Execution of Ceremonial Excrescence.

And you know what? They get away with it. The cacophonous choir these guys make indeed sounds like Hell. The riffs are dissonant as as all fuck, and though that does make them harder to follow it doesn't matter much anyway because it just enhances the feeling of just pure chaos. Plus the guitar solos, while not the most memorable, are pretty good and thrown in at all the right places. Best of all though, the album flows nicely from start to finish and that's the best way to listen to this album, from beginning to end. None of the tracks feel out of place.

Actually, the best parts of this album are the first and last tracks, "Elegy" and "Dirge". Both of them are slower pieces with really dark atmosphere. "Elegy" features some diSEMBOWELMENT like chugging interrupted by some tremolo strumming with the steady drum beat making me feel as if I'm descending a spiral staircase toward Hell. "Dirge" on the other hand is an even gloomier sounding piece and the perfect track to end this album with; as an 8 and a half minute minute piece, I would hope so. It's really cavernous sounding that slowly trudges along. It steadily gets faster until the drums finally break into blast beating. The ending then is perfect: ominous chugging over double kick drums with some regular pauses slowly fading out.

Speaking of the drums, I don't know if Ignis Fatuus or Necros Craigos did the drums here, but whatever the case is the drums sound awesome. They're one of the biggest highlights on this album, outshining the guitar work the majority of the time. Just listen to the first minute of "Convoluting unto Despondent Anachronism". It's really awesome ferocious blast beating that also sounds perfectly on cue with the rest of the music. Even during they slower sections they sound great even with just the little things: kick drum fills, simply hitting the symbols and tom-toms during the low growl monologue on "Elegy", and the like.

Even the grim, deep growling vocals fit here despite lacking some depth. All things considered, Relentless Execution of Ceremonial Excrescence is a winner though it certainly isn't perfect. And yes, the Portal comparisons will be made especially with two members of this band later joining Portal, but believe me when I say Impetuous Ritual is a whole different beast. The drums certainly never sounded this good in Portal, plus whenever Portal does play slow they never sounded as heavy as Impetuous Ritual does. All of Portal's albums thus far are unique though and Relentless Execution of Ceremonial Excrescence is unique too and definitely worth a listen.

(86/100)