Incantation are one of the three big “tion” bands in death metal, the other two being Suffocation and Immolation. Their style was fully formed on this debut LP; they specialize in a kind of suspension of time. The guitar riffs are often extremely fast, while the drums are significantly slower (though they speed up sometimes, too), and there are long passages where they lower themselves into a doomy crawl as heavy and punishing as early Swans. Guitarist/vocalist Craig Pillard has a voice like a furnace, and primary guitarist/bandleader John McEntee’s riffs are full of unsettling squeals and distorted tearing sounds. Bassist Ronny Deo’s instrument tunnels its way out of the mix at odd moments, revealing just how sturdy a foundation all this is built on, even as Jim Roe’s drums come down on your head like a rockslide.