Embrace the Eternal
Artist: Embodyment
Label: Solid
State Records
Time: 44:16 / 10 Tracks
I was blown away when I heard Embodyment's self-titled demo a year
or two ago. The three songs were well written brutal death metal with killer
growling vocals. Blast-laden drumming and incredibly memorable moments
were abundant, and the production was great for a demo. I pessimistically
thought that, like many great underground death metal bands with Christian
beliefs, they would soon be gone after leaving only a few super songs and
a longing in Christian metalheads for more. We have seen this with many
bands including Discarnated, Oblation, Disencumbrance, Golgotha, Drop Dead,
and Consecrator, to name a few.
I was right and wrong.
Embrace the Eternal sees Embodyment leaving behind most of
what placed them in the death metal genre and embracing (pun intended)
many elements of the modern hardcore style. A harsh, throaty hardcore vocal
delivery replaces the deep death metal growls, and the guitars are now
tuned higher. The overall sound is brighter, clearer, and more abrasive.
Two songs from their demo, "Religious Infamy" and "Golgotha", have been
re-recorded with the new sound and included on this album. They remain
pretty true to the original arrangement and are probably the best songs
on the album. The new songs have taken a simpler and less melodic, riff-based
form, with a far lower percentage of moving passages which draw the listener
in. One thing that has thankfully not changed is Mark Garza's incredibly
cool drumming. Overall, I find their previous work much more enjoyable,
based somewhat on the change in sound but mostly on the change in songwriting.
Now let me take a step back and clarify a few things. Embodyment
has not wimped out. This is an incredibly heavy album full of killer riffs,
great production, good distinction and clarity of sounds, and an even more
intense new vocal style. They are playing their own brand of brutal metallic
modern hardcore, which will please a lot of metal fans and hardcore fans
alike.
Embodyment generally has well written lyrics which speak explicitly
of their Christian beliefs. They deal with issues such as the crucifixion
of Christ, problems in the church, inward struggles for the Christian,
the folly and inevitable consequence of rejecting and fighting against
God, and their own stand on their beliefs:
Call me what
you want, the truth remains the same
I am branded
Christian
Immortal soul
of mine fearing not this world
I am enslaved
by no man
Remaining in
my faith I do not stand alone
My spirit is
willing
Falling to my
knees a servant unto Christ in this world of disease
(from "Breed")
Overall, this is a pretty strong album, but I have a hard time not
being disappointed by the changes.
By Chris King (2/17/99)
