Where Only Gods May Tread

Ingested's 2020 release Where Only Gods May Tread is a bit of an oddity within the band's catalogue. It was met with almost universal praise, which I can understand to an extent, but I really feel as though it's missing something that was present in a lot of the band's earlier work - yes, unfortunately this album lacks a lot of the brutality that made me fall in love with this band in the first place. This trend was first notable on their 2018 release The Level Above Human, but it almost never went this far in terms of watering down the band's sound.

Now don't get me wrong, I love Ingested. They're one of my favourite death metal bands, if not taking the number one place, but I can never seem to be able to get through this entire album in one sitting, just due to the fact that it really slows down the pace compared to earlier Ingested albums. The filthy slams and gutturals are kept to a minimum, only really popping up a few times throughout the entire album, and the band seems to have jumped off the fence upon which they once stood - the line between deathcore and slam. This release is almost exclusively deathcore, with just a few brutal death metal riffs thrown in to keep the old-school fans happy. I think this album at it's best is a fun mixture of old and new Ingested, for example the opening track Follow The Deceiver dials it up to 11 and keeps it there almost the entire time, the same can be said for tracks such as No Half Measures, Impending Dominance, Dead Seraphic Forms and Forsaken In Desolation, which all feel as though they could have been on The Level Above Human and are more than welcome among my list of favourite Ingested tracks.

Where this album unfortunately falls a little short is in it's slower tracks, which while technically well written, appear a little too often and tend to disrupt the flow of the album quite a bit. For example I don't think it was a good idea to have The Burden of Our Failures appear directly after The List, which is already mid-paced at best, and Another Breath is absolutely my pick for the worst song on the album. I don't know why this is, but Ingested have a tendency to allow the absolute worst vocalists to guest on their albums, especially on recent albums. I really hate the juxtaposition between Jason Evans' growls and screams, and the somewhat annoying shouts and barks of the guesting vocalists. Another Breath takes a slow, meandering approach and mixes it with absolutely unbearable guest vocals. That being said, this song does have some pretty cool palm-muted riffs that almost make the experience worth sticking around for.

Speaking of riffs, this album is full of them, and I think that is something that Ingested has always been able to nail. These riffs are bad ass, and they're only bolstered by the production which really gives them the extra punch they deserve. Every instrument is clearly audible, including the bass which is a rare feat when it comes to more extreme metal. Jason Evans' performance is also noteworthy, bringing back some of the deep gutturals that were almost entirely absent on 2018's The Level Above Human, and maintaining the vocal progression we've seen over the last few years. He sounds great.

So in short, I think Ingested are incredibly talented songwriters who still have a lot going for them despite a few weaker tracks on this album. The more brutal numbers really make it worth the price of admission and I would still recommend this album to anyone looking for something brutal while at the same time accessible. I'm not overjoyed that the band has started creeping back towards deathcore territory, as much as I have defended The Surreption and will continue to die on the hill of that album being great. I will also commend the band for continuing to grow and incorporate new influences to their music, as much as some of the sounds aren't really for me.

6/10, really like it but I wish it was just a little more brutal.

Brutal death metal has a habit of overlapping with the technical/progressive end of death metal quite often. The more extreme features the music has, the more brutal it can be classified, so then boundary breaking speed and complex structures often come in handy. Yet that is not quite the case for UK’s BDM stalwarts Ingested. The British formation stands firmly rooted in the art of building simple bangers of brutality, without excessive techy noodling or prog pretentiousness. Being one of the genre’s foundational pillars, one can always rely on these unsparing gentlemen to deliver solid monstrous tracks with infectious grooves, and levels of brutality that not many can accomplish. This statement stands unshaken regarding their latest brutish offering “Where Only Gods May Tread”.

The key to Ingested’s success stands in their straightforward use of mosh-worthy musical elements, combined with a consistent delivery. Throughout the band’s back catalog one can see improvement in execution and production, but not much adventurous spirit in innovation and experiment. I myself am one to value a band that redefines itself over the years, yet in this case, sticking to the same approach has allowed the Brits to perfect their brand of brutality to impressive extent. The songs on “Where Only Gods May Tread” show well known elements being used a dime a dozen, yet the effect and impact of the delivery is one to chip teeth and break bones in the pit. The band’s style on this record is a formulaic blend of slamming riffage with alternation of chugging and tremolo picking, resulting in a catchy and infectious breakdown infested swamp. There are no Suffocation-esque twists and turns and the pace is mostly mid-tempo. Furthermore, Ingested’s slight deathcore component can be seen, particularly in the drop effect whenever a breakdown kicks in. And be warned, the average number of breakdowns per song is well above 1. The low punching slam effect is then constantly alternated with driven double kick or blast beat sections to create an efficient back and forth that keeps the adrenaline flowing cohesively, making sure the music never runs out of steam.

The production quality is a defining factor in the aggressive feeling of the music, and it is of admirable quality, probably one of the album’s greatest assets. This means the growling guitar tone and hard hitting drums are felt in all their disgusting beauty. Bass cannot be easily heard on its own as its role stays as the backing undertone to the maelstrom. The drums keep the well known breakdown, blast and double kick patterns on constant rotation dictating the dynamics of the songs. And besides the slam and tremolo picking, the guitar lines bring a few melodic ideas and even a couple of moody solos that are surprisingly not technical. Furthermore, there are a number of smartly placed surprising clean sections in the songs that interrupt the cascade of testosterone in favor of building creepy suspense. After all, the direct formula used on this record works quite well, yet with a 50 minute runtime (quite lengthy for the genre), it still tends to get monotonous until the end.

Vocally, Jim Evans delivers an inhuman guttural scream, without much pitch change, but with sick intonation and a grooved out feel that syncs nicely with the instrumental. Some vocal layering can also be spotted, due to the backing vocal works of both guitarists Sean Hynes and Sam Yates. The vocal delivery is then also augmented by the performances of guests, more precisely Vincent Bennet of The Acacia Strain on “The Burden of our Failures”, Kirk Windstein of Crowbar on “Another Breath”, and Matt Honeycutt of Kublai Khan on “Black Pill”. The first two are definitely the more memorable ones, with “Another Breath” being a shining stand-out track from the norm, showcasing a mood of despair coming from Kirk’s voice. Another outstanding moment on the record comes in the 9 minute long closing track “Leap of the Faithless”, with a more toned down aggression and an anthemic breakdown, topped by lead guitar melodies towards the end, closing the album on a climax of what Ingested does best, beautifully filthy riffs. If that sounds like your cup of anything but tea, then check out “Where Only Gods May Tread” at Unique Leader Records and Bandcamp.

Enjoy!

Originally written for The Metal Observer