Immolation - Atonement

[open face surgery]

I agree. It's unreal.

[ShadowHunter]

after one quick spin, i have to agree it's their best LP since UC. quite impressed

[kakos]

All Immolation material after Unholy Cult has been pretty much unlistenable for me, but the new preview songs sound good and I'm excited to hear the whole album.

[acidbong]

I haven't listened to Immo since Majesty and Decay and the Providence ep. I found myself getting very bored with them to be honest. This is sounding pretty damn good though. It might just ignite that spark again.

[Phidion]

Holy fuck! I never thought they would still have a record like this in them. This is up there with the classic Immo albums. It's a great surprise to me...

[The Duff]

I don't know what you guys are hearing this sounds comparable to the last three but I'm hoping it'll click and I can get on the same page. Classic Immolation? The pace of this album is all over the place.

[Mol]

way better than Kingdom of Conspiracy, that snare though... horrible.

[Vadge]

Gotta agree with Mol there, the drum sound in general (typically) is its only detraction really. Thankfully the songs make up for it

[Skull Knight]

Originally Posted by The Duff

I don't know what you guys are hearing this sounds comparable to the last three but I'm hoping it'll click and I can get on the same page. Classic Immolation? The pace of this album is all over the place.

It doesn't have the same impact as classic Immolation and I agree with what you said. The first 4 albums have a kind of hate, it's dark and twisted, broody and fast with memorable hints here and there. This album is kinda better than the last 2 but nowhere close to even Unholy or Shadows I'd say.

Been listening to it the past few days since it leaked and my initial reaction was that I didn't like it completely. I feel the same today, just got off listening to it on my way to work. Took the local so I could spend more time to finish the album. Like Majesty, I thought this would've been better as an EP or if some tracks were cut off. Immolation feeds us with memorable breakdowns usually but the ones here are so lackluster. It's almost as if I'm waiting for it to get over with so I can enjoy the faster parts of the song. And the album has grown on me in a bad way as a result.

Track 1 - unmemorable except the fast parts, weak album opener
Track 2 - great
Track 3 - best track of the album
Track 4 - would've been a better album closer because of it's classic hook
Track 5 - unmemorable except the fast parts
Track 6 - unmemorable
Track 7 - good mid, rest is unmemorable
Track 8 - good
Track 9 - nice chunky opening but the rest is unmemorable
Track 10 - unmemorable
Track 11 - cool beginning, rest is meh/ just OK

At 48 mins, it also feels damn long. I wanted to buy the album because outside of the bad artwork, the return to the old logo gave me hope they'd go back to their old style of songwriting but it's not quite the same.

[PROPERDEATH]

I like it a lot more than I was expecting to. I saw them play a live a few weeks before the new record was released and the setlist was compiled of mostly these songs. They come off WAY better live than recorded.

[The Duff]

Skull I think your critique to be less than generous; I found this album to be very oppressive, and needed to be taken in small doses. I am practically listening to it as you are, bit by bit. Saying that it is in no way close to Unholy Cult, I find it on par with the last three-four albums which I love anyway.

Having seen them play live on Youtube I've rekindled my appreciation for Shadows and Harnessing, two albums I enjoyed while I was still a death metal novice but that have paled over the years. If this is Immolation now I see no problem.

Dolan is a demon on stage. Amazing live presence, mesmerising.

[ceddeeoo]

thought it was just gonna be catchy but turns out its also emotional

[Tomes of Deceit]

This is the first death metal album of 2017 right?

Owns.

[Works0fheart]

Listened through it twice. Remember none of it. I really wanted to like it, just couldn't.

[ratsapprentice]

Originally Posted by Works0fheart

Listened through it twice. Remember none of it. I really wanted to like it, just couldn't.

Did nothing for me either.

[Chilidem]

Originally Posted by ratsapprentice

Did nothing for me either.

I hate to say it, but I kind of agree. Will have to spin it a few more times though.

[flayedandskinned]

The riffs are definitely fucking ACE on this album, but I feel that the seemingly haphazardly thrown together arrangements really hold this album back entirely, much like the previous few since Unholy Cult.

Its an absolute shame because there really are some insane sections in each song. If they only took a bit more time with the transitions between the multitudes of riffs.

[Sculpy]

Originally Posted by flayedandskinned

The riffs are definitely fucking ACE on this album, but I feel that the seemingly haphazardly thrown together arrangements really hold this album back entirely, much like the previous few since Unholy Cult.

I think you hit the nail on the head, there. That explains the odd dissonance of being satisfied and excited that this sounds like Immolation while it's on, and also disappointed in the lack of desire to listen to it again for any reason other than to try to like it more.

Yup, the riffs, again, are great. And yeah, the grandeur that made their songs sound like movements and stories is largely gone.

[The Duff]

I'm tiring of this myself but the good news is I went back to Kingdom and Majesty and found both to be masterpieces (most of you will decry this); not a bad album, that melody in Jackals is beautiful, some great moments, but the shorter songs/less enthralling ideas makes this my least favourite along Shadows in Light and Harnessing.

[Sculpy]

Shadows used to be by far my least favourite. Every song sounded similar and it was the first album where it was obvious that everything seemed to be getting compressed for brevity.
I've been going back to it and i'm coming to like it more. My complaints are still the same, but something about the riffs and sound actually makes it feel quite ominous and threatening. It has the superficial atmosphere of the earlier records, if not the songwriting, and that's something that's been lacking in the last three.

[Nailed To Gold]

After repeated listens, it's growing on me and seems like an enjoyable listen.

[Chilidem]

Originally Posted by Nailed To Gold

After repeated listens, it's growing on me and seems like an enjoyable listen.

This. Pretty much happens with every Immolation albums. Takes me about 10 spins to really start to appreciate it. I really like Rise the Heretics. Great song.

[Nailed To Gold]

Originally Posted by Chilidem

This. Pretty much happens with every Immolation albums. Takes me about 10 spins to really start to appreciate it. I really like Rise the Heretics. Great song.

I'll have to check that one out again. For me, the two standout tracks so far are When the Jackals Come & Lower. Definitely enjoying this way more than KoC, which bored me to tears and is my least favorite Immolation album.