Album Review: Wretched Incarnate – Wretched Incarnate (Self Released)

Ash Cotterill decided to branch out on a solo project for his latest challenge, following the success he has achieved in his main band, Pemphigoid. The guitarist and vocalist, also a member of As The World Dies, seeks to expand his repertoire by producing an album filled with the savagery and aggression that drew him to to this, his chosen genre.

The brutal self-titled debut album from Wretched Incarnate seeks to pay homage to some of the death metal greats, including the likes of Benediction, Vomitory and Six Feet Under. The album features special guest vocals from Raised By Owls’ Sam Fowler and Ashen Crown and Grimorte’s Kieran Scott, who bring their own brand of brutal to the already ruthless tracks on offer.

The album will be released on May 7th 2021.

As part of two excellent bands already based in the extreme metal side of things, there is early confidence in what Ash Corterill is capable of. With Wretched Incarnate though, it’s all about the tribute to old-school death and in that regard, it’s mission accomplished. This self-titled debut bristles with thick and juicy death intensity. Filthy and raw, guttural and malevolent, the first three tracks, Silenced, Mask of Lies and Narcissistic Siren, come out with blistering intent. The booming guitars and drums, matched by the fetid growls and gurgles of the vocals. Brutal as fuck.

Fliting between spitting, spewing ferocity and horrifically frenzied depth. Much credit has to be given to Cotterill here. To match the constant weighty thump of the instruments and not be buried under the mass of metal is impressive. Hypodermic Syringe Theory, Psycho Santa and Ravenous keeping the tone of the record exactly where it should be. Sinking slowly into the mire as the weight of the past drags it down into the depths.

The first of two guests pops in to add some more weight to the word ‘wretched’. Sam Fowler of beloved extreme lunatics Raised By Owls lends his scathing voice to Creatures of the Underworld. The juxtaposition between Ash’s vocals and Sam’s vocals makes for an exciting blast of gore-encrusted noise. Whereas a little later on, Kieran Scott of Ashen Crown and Grimorte turns an already ferocious track into something even nastier with a guttural exclamation point.

In between those two bloody cuts we get the menacing Purgatory with Treachery serving up a maggot-ridden display of death rot for the finale. Wretched Incarnate well and truly living up to its name.

Wretched Incarnate – Wretched Incarnate Full Track Listing:

1. Silenced
2. Mask of Lies
3. Narcissistic Siren
4. Hypodermic Syringe Theory
5. Psycho Sanity
6. Ravenous
7. Creatures of the Underworld (feat. Sam Fowler)
8. Purgatory
9. Undeathly Conception (feat. Kieran Scott)
10. Treachery

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