This is an ugly, uncanny bastardisation of death metal. The complex song structures and raw, unrelenting atmosphere of early Morbid Angel is blended with the messy over-stretched teenage ambition of early Possessed. Add some manic Slayer solos, crushing slow passages, atmospheric intros, an overtly Satanic image (corpsepaint before it became popular) - and you have Grotesque.

Tomas Lindberg establishes himself as one of the great metal vocalists, using a deeper, throatier style than for At the Gates. The band compose layered, complex, slightly disjointed songs that generate power through raw, under-produced intensity. The three songs from the 'Incantation' session have unimaginable depth, and sound utterly unlike anything else ever recorded at Studio Sunlight. All in all, an extremely nasty listening experience, and a classic example of 'Real Death Metal'.

Hammerheart Records.