Album Review: Oni – Incantation Superstition (Sphere of Apparition Records)

Oriental infused, dark and brutal Australian death metal band Oni (not to be confused with the Canadian progressive metal band) may not have existed for long (1999 – 2003) but they made an impact. In the brief years they made music, they released three demos and two split releases (the latter featuring tracks from the demos).

On February 3rd, 2023, Sphere of Apparition Records will release a compendium of all their music. Called ‘Incantation Superstition’, it is 9 -tracks and 32-minutes, collated for vinyl and CD release.

It’s very cool of Sphere of Apparition Records to do this as Oni’s existence was so short-lived that only the most studious of death metal fans will remember them. Now, everyone has a chance to hear the Aussie-based chaos and carnage. Which is the exact way to sum up the inane savagery that Incantation Superstition delivers. Made up of 8 tracks taken from their demos and a cover of Slayer’s Altar of Sacrifice.

So, what makes Oni more than just another good death metal band? It’s the oriental touches they infuse the music with. Adding atmosphere and ambience on the likes of Slain, Seppuku Blade and the title track. Very cool stuff and the perfect accompaniment to straight-forward and uncompromising death metal heaviness.

Happily, Oni were so good at what they did, this is more than just a release for the superfan, and it might surprise many to find that the music comes from a band that has been defunct for 20 years! That doesn’t just speak volumes about the never-dying relevancy of death metal but Oni themselves. 20 years since they called it quits, their music is still as powerful as death metal released today.

Links

Sphere of Apparition Records