To the Glory of the Ancient Ones

There is something to be said for doing something first, or in the case of Dominus Xul, doing something second first. Well before every other band on the planet was worshiping Incantation, Dominus Xul released The Primigeni Xul(I Condemn My Enemies) all the way back in 1998. In many ways, they were the first Incantation worship band, so it makes perfect sense for the band to reform in 2011, the Year of Incantation, and release their first new material in 13 years with To The Glory Of The Ancient Ones. And just like their first release, To The Glory Of The Ancient Ones is a slab of rock solid, professionally played Incantation love.

To the untrained listener, it might be impossible to tell the difference between a Dominus Xul track and an Incantation track, as all the hallmarks are here: cavernous, demonic riffing, a sense of Doom-laden dread, Satanic aesthetic, and the fantastic vocal performance of Caludio Salinas, who does one of the finest and most powerful Craig Pillard impersonations I have heard in a long time. The somewhat clean and clear production is curious, and is really the only thing that stands out about this album. It really isn't too much of a hinderence to the quality of the work, it just isn't the norm right now and makes an impression. It all adds up to rock solid and well played occult death metal that is all the rage right now amongst the elite of the death metal crowd.

Which begs the question: how much longer will this sound retain it's dominance? I hate a debate with a acquaintance of mine: I say the whole thing really kicked into gear back in 2008 with Dead Congregation's Grave of the Archangels. He said the fad started a few years earlier in 2005 with, sure enough, Dead Congregation's Purifying Consecrated Ground. Regardless, the reign of tech and brutal death metal as the choice of the elite death metal fan has been over for a few years, and the static choked offerings of bands like Vasaeleth, Encoffination, Father Befouled and countless other acts are what the "in" kids are listening to. But how much longer before all this worship wears thin? Before another band takes Incantation's place as the Demigod of Death Metal?

Dominus Xul are clearly cashing in now and striking while the iron is hot, and To The Glory Of The Ancient Ones feels right at home amongst the endless sea of Golgotha's. It is played with much more professionalism, experience and conceptual strength than many of the new worshipers on the block, but worship it remains. How much enjoyment you get from this will be based on how much you love Incantation, and as an unabashed fan of the might New York Masters, To The Glory Of The Ancient Ones tickles all the right nerves, if even only in the fleeting sense.

Rating: 7/10

Originally posted at http://curseofthegreatwhiteelephant.blogspot.com/