Immolation / consistency

[born for banning]

After trying for the ten thousandth time to like Immolation because by all intelligent measures I should, I gave up yesterday. I like individual songs. The albums as a whole are like a distracted child, occasionally brilliant but too often petulant or prosaic, hammering out variations on known themes. The old accusation "but all their songs sound the same" isn't true, but it's true that many are very similar. There's a lack of a certain kind of consistency here. The best albums have this consistency: vision, aesthetic, music and lyrics united, and the concept is both critical and creative, wielding its destruction for higher powers. I don't find much of that here, and it makes it hard to want to pierce the surface tension of these albums when I know that inside is mixed in the attention put into it.

[Humanicide]

what are some individual songs you like, bfb?

i find that "Dawn of Possession", while being a pretty decent effort, is not at all what it is hyped up to be. "Close to a World Below" is my favorite.

[DionysianDeath]

I think that the problem you allude to emerges in Close to a World Below and comes to the fore on all subsequent albums, which I actually find unlistenably uninspired.

However, Dawn of Possession, and to a lesser extent, Failures for Gods sound to my ears to be fairly consistent, and streamlined insofar as there is a minimum of riff salad. Also, the really 'brilliant moments' of these songs seem to make sense in a wider context, as opposed to being sort of like a gem set in a crowd of plastic.

[Heydrich]

I generally have a very hard time getting through
an entire Immolation disc (for many reasons noted in thread-opener) - yet on the whole, I do enjoy and respect the band a great deal! This seems to be the case from Dawn of Possession onward. It has always vexed me that I love them on many levels, but often grow somewhat disinterested halfway though an album. Figured it was just me...  

[Arctic Sun]

Could it be that while the unusually high quality that is exhibited in the first few songs usually remains throughout the entire album, the exploration and development of the underlying ideas that went into forming that quality tends to conclude roughly halfway through the release?

For the most part, this seems to be the crux of Immolation: quality is rarely in short supply, but they're so certain of what they're doing that there are few surprises to be had after the first few songs.  Yes, they create distinct textures and tension within individual songs, but this has rarely occured throughout the progression of an entire album.  (This might also explain the intrigue of witnessing their live perforances, seeing as how the proportion of governing ideas and spirit has a tendency to become re-emphasized in a live setting.)

[Dedrater]

For the most part, this seems to be the crux of Immolation: quality is rarely in short supply, but they're so certain of what they're doing that there are few surprises to be had after the first few songs.  Yes, they create distinct textures within individual songs, but this has rarely occured throughout the progression of an entire album.  (This might also explain the intrigue of witnessing their live perforances, seeing as how the proportion of governing ideas and spirit has a tendency to become re-emphasized in a live setting.)

I happen to think Immolation are one of the better death metal bands to still be making music, but perhaps if they'd end more albums the way they did Failures for Gods (The Devil I Know), this would be rectified. If there's anything that flies in the face of "all their songs sound the same," it's definitely the last few minutes of this song.

[ASBO]

I respect Immolation, I just don't like listening to it. It's too much like a speed metal band and too rhythmic in an obvious way. Not enough mystique. Plenty of blasphemy though.

[baxter]

I happen to think Immolation are one of the better death metal bands to still be making music, but perhaps if they'd end more albums the way they did Failures for Gods (The Devil I Know), this would be rectified. If there's anything that flies in the face of "all their songs sound the same," it's definitely the last few minutes of this song.

Funny, Failures for Gods is the one album i think ends weakly. Other than that , frankly, I don't see what you guys are on about. Their albums are very cohesive and flow well from one song to the next, especially Close to a World Below. Care to give an example on how they do not?

[My AIDS, Your Arse]

After trying for the ten thousandth time to like Immolation because by all intelligent measures I should, I gave up yesterday. I like individual songs. The albums as a whole are like a distracted child, occasionally brilliant but too often petulant or prosaic, hammering out variations on known themes. The old accusation "but all their songs sound the same" isn't true, but it's true that many are very similar. There's a lack of a certain kind of consistency here. The best albums have this consistency: vision, aesthetic, music and lyrics united, and the concept is both critical and creative, wielding its destruction for higher powers. I don't find much of that here, and it makes it hard to want to pierce the surface tension of these albums when I know that inside is mixed in the attention put into it.

I don't think any band has enough merit to have an album that you could like every single track off of that wasn't the length of an EP. You're correct in your regard; every intelligent person ought to recognize important tracks or albums within a band's repertoire instead of just automatically liking whatever they put out without any second thought. With that said, you are right about Immolation.

But perhaps their use of known motifs within songs is for a wanted effect. It's not like you pass through the levels of Hell immediately, you're bound to get situational repetition ad infinitum for increased agony and loathing.

[Blaphbee]

Immolation is a tough band sometimes; their newest effort has some good ideas, but they need to can the new drummer. Fast. Overall, they've put out consistent quality albums, but with Harnessing Ruin, they've fallen hard. They've just fallen victim to their own formulas.

[ASBO]

Shadows in the Light is a vast improvement. The drummer is doing better work also.

However, I still lack much inspiration to haul out their back catalogue.

[Blaphbee]

Shadows in the Light is a vast improvement. The drummer is doing better work also.

However, I still lack much inspiration to haul out their back catalogue.

I don't think so at all - Henderson or whoever the hell he is sounds to my ears like the personification of every percussive death-metal-cliche, even on the new one. He is buried in the mix, his drums sound like cardboard boxes with all the mids removed, and he has all the imagination of the drummer for P.O.D., albeit faster handspeed. He is doing their music a massive disservice, but that of course is strictly my humble opinion.

[wizard]

Here is how i find it hard to see were musical taste is a factor. One can acknowledge the majesty of a band - for example i never really got into a band like Atheist, despite the nature of their music.

Accept the fact that Immolation are just not the band for you, it took me years to get into them, their style is unorthodox, technical and sometimes looses its atmosphere.

[Vanguard]

Dawn of Possession has a few weaker moments, but the majority of the album is great. The  songs Despondant Souls, Internal Decadence, and especially Into Everlasting Fire are very well- composed narratives, and reflect a strong understanding of musical language on the part of Immolation. The band has an unconvential approach to riffing and arangement, but I find it comminucates the stories very well.

[Necrolust]

Immolation has always been my favorite DM. Maybe it's just ADHD, but I love how internally at odds with itself the music tends to be.

OTOH, I've never been able to enjoy Atheist (aside from their first album), Pestilence - Spheres, Carbonized or anything else in this style.