I've been playing Gauntlet: Dark Legacy on Playstation 2 this past week, and you know how as your character gains levels, becomes more powerful, and finds items, he/she starts looking more and more formidable? New armor, bigger weapons, a more confident swagger. That's what Soul Embraced is like. I mean, at their core they're still old school death metal, but two of the guys in the band (Living Sacrifice's drummer Lance Garvin and guitarist Rocky Gray) have been playing for quite awhile. It's the same old metal, but powered up through experience and time in the trenches. Soul Embraced stomps through your speakers with added crunch, melody, and flair. It's satisfying even for those metal fans who don't dig death metal. Lance's percussive onslaught shreds whole armies, Chad Moore's powerfully deep & guttural vocals send fear into hearts, and Rocky's bottomless bag of brutal riffs blows through any stragglers and turns them to dust.
Although people complain that not enough authentic, thrashing albums are made by Christians each year, the metal that does get released is usually excellent. Last year we got Underoath, Extol, Lengsel, and Living Sacrifice. This year hasn't been as fruitful, but Soul Embraced's For the Incomplete is the undisputed champion so far, pouring out deep vats of death metal might. This is true apocalyptic music, with lyrics like:
dominions of the damned destroyed and burned
all is crushed
annihilated
this dead world will be no more
God dominates
killing darkness.
Alrighty then. It's the voice of God's vengeance, rarely heard anymore. The other songs aren't quite so bloodthirsty, but uphold the traditionally dark yet evangelical lyrics of Christian metal of the past, ala Vengeance Rising, old Living Sacrifice, Mortification, Believer, etc. Though most of their predecessors are now fallen, Soul Embraced step up to fill the gap, bringing mighty music of war against the devil, the flesh, and the world.
4.5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #89Reviewed by Jason DoddApparently Rocky Gray and Lance Garvin cannot get enough of the Metal from just playing in Living Sacrifice. Their compulsion is our good fortune, when it takes the 100% Pure Metal form of Soul Embraced. The production is so sharp on For the Incomplete, that their songs actually feel metallic - every string piercing the ear, and every drum beat pinging beneath the thunder. Speed breakdowns…Art for the Ears 2001Reviewed by Marco PovervestSoul Embraced is a trio consisting of two members of Living Sacrifice (Lance Garvin & Rocky Gray) and vocalist Chad Moore. The music on this record is what Living Sacrifice might have sounded like today if they hadn't strayed away from their death metal path in the mid nineties. Yes, Soul Embraced is death metal and sounding pretty good too. This disc contains 11 songs of which four are…Dead Zine 2001Reviewed by NecRoSarXPlease excuse me whilst I shiver in complete ecstasy. What can I say? Other than For the Incomplete is a collection of some of the finest neo-death metal sounds I've ever heard since Living Sacrifice decided to get reborn. I say "neo-death metal" because, despite Soul Embraced being comprised of members of afore mentioned Living Sacrifice, ahem, THIS IS NOT TO BE LUMPED WITH THE GENERAL…Dead Zine 2001Reviewed by the ProjectHOLY SMOKES!!!!!!! Soul Embraced is awesome!!! This new Solid State band is totally amazing. MY GOD I LOVE THIS ALBUM! I only wish this were released a long time ago. This disk is one disk you must have! I REPEAT YOU NEED TO BUY THIS DISK!!!!! It is so awesome. For the Incomplete is such a raw album. It is metal core/death metal frenzy. Also Rocky Gray from Living Sacrifice plays for this band so…Dead Zine 2001Reviewed by undeadThere's been a segment of the scene for some time now that's been crying for Living Sacrifice to return to their death metal roots (weren't their roots speed/thrash?). Well kids, SOUP'S ON!!! This is as close as you're going to get, and it's close enough for me. That said, Soul Embraced sounds almost nothing like the old LS death albums. I'd describe the overall sound as Diatribes era Napalm…Dead Zine 2001Reviewed by D_ListerDid 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…Similar sounding releases
2001Thy PainMore Than Suffering
2003BloodworkIn His Death
1997ParamaeciumRepentance
2003MortificationPower, Pain & Passion
1992Living SacrificeNonexistent
1997Set Apart / ChaliceSet Apart / Chalice
