Artist: Invocation
Country: Chile
Label: Iron Bonehead Productions
Formats: LP / CD
Year: 2024
After two demos and two short-players, that for the majority of them have seen multiple re-releases through various labels, the Chilean Death Metal band Invocation felt ready for another step in their career. The result is the band’s debut album ‘The Archaic Sanctuary (Ritual Body Postures)’ through their long-time companion of Iron Bonehead Productions. Those who have followed the band a bit through their decade-long existence know that Invocation has been incredibly consistent in delivering quality and stepping up with each subsequent release. That fine-tuning of their musical recipe is putting into flesh with this first full-length offering.
In that sense, nothing on ‘The Archaic Sanctuary (Ritual Body Postures)’ is going to be of any form of surprise. Instead it indeed rather is a reconfirmation of what Invocation has been up to for the past ten years: firmly carving their name into their native country’s massive Death Metal history. Its dark and brooding Death Metal that is akin to that of bands like Dead Congregation, Imprecation and Cruciamentum has definitely grown in terms of song writing and overall maturity.
The basics of Old School Death Metal are still very much in place, but ‘The Archaic Sanctuary (Ritual Body Postures)’ shows that the band has significantly grown in the sense of crafting a much darker atmosphere. Even when the previous recordings already had same, almost Black Metal-like, ambiance, which was mostly underscored by the rough overall sound, things seem to fall increasingly into all the right places. This slightly more “open” sound allows the constant tempo changes to fully channel a much wider soundscape of dynamics and to highlight the strength of each individual instrument.
In Chile’s current musical climate, it may not be easy to really rise above the pack, even with a strong album under your belt, but for those who give ‘The Archaic Sanctuary (Ritual Body Postures)’ a chance will be convinced without further ado. It may not go on to change the world or make you completely ecstatic, but it is definitely a more than solid debut album from a promising band.
