Pentacle / Sadistic Intent - Invocations of the Death-ridden

SADISTIC INTENT / PENTACLE - Invocations of the Death-ridden (IRON PEGASUS Records LP 2016)

A split LP that I was really looking forward to hear, with two legendary bands! With two true heroes of the ancient death metal!! Here's Sadistic Intent and Pentacle united for this excellent release titled "Invocations of the Death-ridden". Each band comes with two songs and each, I dare to say, does not disappoint, so I've been listening to this record with enormous pleasure.  

Sadistic Intent really proves how amazing band they are. Although the long awaited MLP "Reawakening of Horrid Thoughts" wasn't a peak of their quality, these two new tracks are surely better. I truly love them both and this style of thrashing death metal, so deeply rooted in the 80's. There are moments, when the music reminds me this evil and vicious death metal alike to the early Morbid Angel, without their fast tempos though. But at the same time it's quite strongly thrash influenced also. Anyway, it's pure feast of old school, traditional death metal. I love especially the second track "Numbered with the Dead", with its killer sharp, aggressive riffage, but also with some melodic accents that appear here and there. It's fantastic song! But both songs make a huge impression on me and so yet again I have to say that there are hardly better around than Sadistic Intent or Coffin Texts. I don't even care if Sadistic will record that bloody full length finally or not, I'm not bothered, they can just release mini albums or splits, as long as they do stay active and killer I'm good with it!!! 

And Pentacle is something what goes deeper and deeper into the most archaic forms of ancient death metal. I cannot say that their songs on the splits with Eternal Solstice and Mortem were my favourite tunes from them. They're OK, but I just expect a bit more from people, who wrote such fantastic pieces of music as "Ancient Death" or "...Rides the Moonstorm". Anyway, all these split songs along these two tracks from split with Sadistic Intent have all been released also as "Five Candles Burning Red" EP. I don't know why though, but somehow I like these two songs from "Invocations of the Death-ridden" the most from that Pentacle pile. Style wise they're pretty much the same, but damn, they do crush with some splendid riffage and dark, obscure aura. The music is quite slow, with strong influence from early Celtic Frost or even Hellhammer, to name just the most obvious sources of inspiration. It also sounds very harsh and nasty, but powerful, even if some of you may not like the primitive production so much. Who cares... I don't, I enjoyed these two tracks a lot. And let me say that Wannes' vocals belong to my favourite ever, he's damn great! So, maybe this band did some way better recordings in the past, but I still have a lot of respect for Pentacle and I'm happy every time they release something new. 

And this is yet another vinyl from Iron Pegasus, which is so well released. The layout, graphics... everything is great quality.

Standout track: "Numbered with the Dead" 

Verdict: 80/100