Interdimensional Invocations

Let me preface my review by saying this album is by no means terrible. It has been receiving a lot of praise and buzz, and I can see where some of this is coming from. That being said, Interdimensional Invocations is such a massive step down from Invasion of the Tentacube, Xoth's magical debut, that I find it hard to fully recommend.

After one full listen of Interdimensional Invocations I was not sure that I was even listening to the same band. Xoth originally played a blend of blackened thrash and melodic death metal that took pages out of the books of Skeletonwitch and Vektor. Now, apparently, they play generic, watered down death metal.The black metal elements, such as the tremolo riffs and snarled vocals, are barely in play anymore. The vocals in Invasion of the Tentacube were full of vigor and expression, but in Interdimensional Invocations they are one-dimensional, dull, monotone, and completely lacking any kind of edge. I had to double check to confirm that the vocalist of the band had not changed.

The biggest issue with Interdimensional Invocations is the songwriting. The songs no longer feel dynamic and organic. They do not build up to interesting moments. We are just bombarded with riffs that do nothing to advance the songs and instead repeat in a formulaic and predictable fashion. Invasion of the Tentacube was also stuffed with riffs but the difference was that the riffs naturally connected to one another and kept you guessing where the songs were going to head.

Even better structuring could not save the songs on Interdimensional Invocations because the honest truth is that the riffs are not very memorable. The catchy and playful melodicism of the previous album (you know, the best part?) is entirely absent. Sure, the new songs are heavier, but do not expect any of them to stick in your end. Even the solos in Interdimensional Invocations feel like obligatory additions instead of meaningful inclusions. In a strange way, Interdimensional Invocations does not hit nearly as hard as it should. I blame the production. The guitars lack oomph. The drums almost sound fake. The bass fades into obscurity, which is a shame considering how much presence the bass had in Invasion of the Tentacube.

Xoth is a band that I am still interested in observing while they progress their sound and career. I hope that Interdimensional Invocations is more of a transitional album than a sign of more mediocrity to come. Again, Interdimensional Invocations is not terrible, just disappointing considering what Xoth is capable of accomplishing.