review: Invoker

Invoker

Towards the Pantheon of the Nameless

Einheit Produktionen

March 27th 2020

Invoker’s brand of classic-style European melodic extreme metal is quite friendly to the ear and you’ll get it immediately upon the first listen. It was totally unexpected that the music would have such a quick impact, but that’s what happened. One listen = comprehension = positive reaction. In reality, it does not happen that often that one album hits this fast, and in this case the first response has been proven correct after repeated listens to the album in its entirety. What is happening? Let’s go get it.

1.The vocals are low, gruff, pleasant to the ear, smooth, and flowing. Here and there, you might notice some bits that are different, like a few screams on the song “Devil’s Door,” but overall the cool growling style is by far and away the dominant vocals, making the album easy on the ears, vocally speaking.

2.The songs are catchy, and the production is contemporary, and everything seems a-ok. All good on those fronts, but it is the melodies of the guitar that show that the band’s own take and personality. The album is 37 minutes of lean, mean, rocking-machine melodic extreme metal goodness.

3.There is a very contemporary feel to the music. Melodic death metal might be the first impression that jumps out, but soon after that the melodic black metal details also start to come out of the bag in some places. The drumming style sometimes points to more black metal tendencies, an example of which is “Fall into the Void.”

The main thing about it all is the sheer catchiness of the music, not which genre it is. The genre for genre critics to worry about, but if you like melodic European extreme metal, songs that might get stuck in your mind for days, then check it out.

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