Soul Embraced

Item: For the Incomplete
Author: D_Lister

For the Incomplete

(2001)

Reviewed by D_Lister

Discogs YouTube

Label Clenchedfist RecordsDead Zine2001

death metal metal metalcore thrash metal

Did someone just give me a Halloween's day present or what? I suppose I'll probably face some flame over the mention of a pagan holiday, but I can't help it. This CD is simply put SCARY. Truly this album is terror filled americana styled death metal. Brutal, yes it's brutal, but it's also beyond brutal. Intense, certainly intense but more than just that. This album has that terrifying sound that your mom is going to hate, even after you assure her the band is indeed a Christian band she'll have that look on her face like she's just not quite sure. People are going to want to throw the word 'core' in there somewhere just because of the LS influence, but allow me to remind you that LANCE managed the drums for LS back when they indeed were death metal. It's great to hear him back in the drumming frenzy we all knew he was able to produce once again.

Guitar wise Rocky is...well for lack of better terminology...THE MAN. His distortion sounds just a tad bit thin but that is the ONLY complaint I can find myself with on this entire album. It's a full 11 songs long and what you get are 7 completely new unreleased tracks, plus the 4 songs that the band released as their CD EP Fleshless. So if you've not picked up that CD EP you can grab a copy of this CD and get the songs here. Vocals are handled by Chad Moore who uses a low drawn out growl to produce vocals that complement and fill out the whole 'scary' feel that I mentioned with a creative and unique sound.

Lyrically what can I say. This is the final nail in the coffin. The songs are dark, dark, dark, dark. Some tell stories and are not the typical 'turn or burn' thing you get sometimes. Let's just jump in and take as an example...well TRACK 1 called 'Unborn' which starts off with:

As I lay here in the darkness of my conscience
my soul empty and bleeding in despair
I wonder how things could have been different
What could have saved me from this Agony
That tears me apart on the inside

There's so much more, I could go on and quote pieces from every track or even spill the lyrics of entire songs here, but I won't. Suffice it to say that the lyrics are unique, interesting, and God focused. As one last testimony you may have heard the MP3 they released called 'My Tourniquet.' This song is basically a suicide victim in his last fleeting moments as blood pours out his wrists. In the wake of his actions he screams out for salvation as his life drains from him. Knowing death is near the only hope is that Christ become the tourniquet and saves him.

I'm going to be a bit harsh here but this music is harsh and deserves that in the review. If you're at all into death metal and you miss out on this CD you're basically an idiot. That's all I've got to say.

10/10