Invincible Force - Decomposed Sacramentum

Angry Metal Guy 60

What happens when an invincible force meets a purely lethal object? I’m not sure, but sit down, and I’ll tell you what happens when an Invincible Force meets a big, cuddly, soft-hearted metal reviewer who wouldn’t hurt a fly. Chile’s Invincible Force formed in 2007, and it should come as no surprise that, as a band that took their name from a Destruction track, they initially modeled their sound after the slightly blackened teutonic thrash sound of their heroes. After releasing a host of demos and splits, 2015’s debut full-length saw the band’s sound taking on a more violent approach that verged on death/thrash. Five years later, the promo materials for sophomore effort Decomposed Sacramentum reveal that the band is “leaving behind their early, more scholarly aspirations in favor of something far more sinister.” Without further ado, let’s find out what the hell that’s supposed to mean.

Apparently, it means that Invincible Force have veered sharply in the direction of Morbid Angel on Decomposed Sacramentum. Death metal has almost totally supplanted the blackened thrash of the band’s early days, and these guys have injected the concise 27 minute runtime with an unbelievable amount of impossibly fast, technical riffs. Adorably named guitarists Enzodomizer and Dead Goat declare their intentions to rape and pillage your ears on embedded single “Perpetual Black Mass” as they blast out of the gate with axes blazing. These guys have completed a master’s degree in Slayer, Morbid Angel, and Destruction Studies, and like a dog desperately performing every trick they know in rapid succession in order to earn a treat, these guys empty their sleeves of just about every card they have on the sub-three-minute track. It’s a whirlwind for sure, but it’s the kind you want to get sucked into if you’re a death/thrash fan.

Decomposed Sacramentum by Invincible Force

And aside from a few exceptions, the rest of Decomposed Sacramentum follows the example of “Perpetual Black Mass.” Similar short, quick, heavy hitters like “Illusion of Truth” and “Abufihamet” litter the album, standing ready to bludgeon you on each and every spin. The latter is the record’s shortest and most furious assault and concludes with a demonic screaming solo that would please Trey Azagthoth himself. The relentless attack of the new Invincible Force sound might be overwhelming, though, if it weren’t for a few “slower,” more atmospheric numbers to create some contrast. While only clocking in at around 3:30 each, “The Shadow Over Canaan” and the title track take on the role of the “longer” epics on Decomposed Sacramentum. The latter begins with a strong Seasons in the Abyss vibe, and both tracks bring some much-needed thrashing groove to the mix.

And while it might just be personal preference, those two tracks end up being the highlights for me. I enjoy the entire album, but for whatever reason — perhaps the songs are a little too brief —I have a hard time connecting to some of the other faster, shorter tracks. Another possible explanation is the rather one-note vocal performance of bassist/vocalist Cristián Contreras. He has a respectable death growl but he lacks the dynamic delivery of a Tom Araya or a David Vincent. Add to that the fact that the vocals have a tendency to be buried within a somewhat muddled production job, and it’s hard for the songs on Decomposed Sacramentum to live up to those crafted by Invincible Force‘s influences. Still, there’s plenty of gold to be mined here. Check out “Perpetual Black Mass,” “The Covenant,” “The Shadow Over Canaan,” and the title track to see what I mean.

I had high hopes for Decomposed Sacramentum after hearing Invincible Force‘s thrashing debut, and while I’m not convinced that moving further in the direction of death metal was the right choice for the band, this record will most certainly kick your ass for all of its 27 minutes. Check it out if your ass is feeling a little too comfortable lately.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Dark Descent Records
Websites: invincibleforce.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/invincible666force
Releases Worldwide: October 22nd, 2020

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