Immolation: Atonement (2/24/2017)

Reviewed By: Jon Santitoro

Review Score: 10/10

It’s not easy to point out a singular, career-defining release for a band who’s legacy spans over three decades of consistent excellence. However, with their monumental 2017 release, Atonement, NYDM pioneers Immolation have created an undeniable and herculean testament to their supremacy within the genre. Founding members Ross Dolan (bass, vocals) and Robert Vigna (guitars), alongside long-time drummer Steve Shalaty and guitarist Alex Bouks continue to be at the top of their game, and collectively they have been writing some of the best music of their iconic careers in recent years. And never has that been more apparent than on this, the band’s tenth studio album.

Put simply, Atonement is a complex masterpiece of death metal craftsmanship; frightening in it’s intensity, yet darkly majestic. The album’s eleven tracks play out like an unholy symphony, encompassing a sort of poetic beauty in darkness and destruction. Moods of hellish foreboding and unfettered rage intersect and intertwine in a serpentine dance of demonic fire throughout the entire length of the album.

From the dissonant and unsettling opening notes of ‘The Distorting Light’, Immolation effectively put the listener on notice that Atonement is not for the feint of heart. Steve Shalaty’s blast beats erupt from seemingly out of nowhere, raining down on the listener like cluster bombs; and Ross’ vocals fittingly sound as if they’ve come from the wrong side of the grave. Frenzied riffing courtesy of Robert and Alex only enhances the rampaging fury of this take-no-prisoners opener.

The second track, ‘When the Jackals Come’, with it’s epic opening and bleak, forlorn outro, is probably the most well-known and arguably “popular” track from the album. Brilliantly written, ‘When the Jackals Come’ chillingly captures the brooding and hopeless mood of a desolate, blackened world ruined by the unending corruption and greed of the power-mad upper one percent. But therein lies the subtle genius of Immolation. The band has always placed as much value on the mood and tone of a given song as they do with the savagery and “grind” of it.

The band slows things down a bit with ‘Fostering the Divide’, a somewhat more groove-laden, but no less heavy bludgeoner accented by several short leads by Vigna. However, Immolation returns to a much more aggressive approach with ‘Rise the Heretics’, a savage face-ripper with yet another memorable outro from a band known for them. ‘Rise the Heretics’ also happens to be the final single from Atonement, with the video being released just prior to the recording of their latest album, 2022’s Acts Of God.

‘Thrown to the Fire’ continues Immolation’s penchant for deeply foreboding atmospherics without having to rely on sound bites, additional instrumentation, or other effects. Menacing guitar tone and deliberately slower pacing at precisely the right points are the rule of the day with this track. Subtlety isn’t a word often associated with death metal bands, but Immolation are veteran songwriters and true masters of their craft, unlike many of their contemporaries.

The placement, pacing and varied tempos of the songs go a long way toward making Atonement such an enjoyable listen. There’s simply nothing stale here. The next track, ‘Destructive Currents’, is certainly befitting of it’s name. Adopting an aggressive, up-tempo approach without over-reliance on blast beats, ‘Destructive Currents’ exemplifies the intensity of the band’s live set perfectly. It also serves to set up the two best tracks on the album: ‘Lower’ and the title track, ‘Atonement’.

‘Lower’ is the stand-out track of the album. It’s moody, dark, and brutal, with an evil groove that sets it apart from the rest of the album. Steve’s drum work on this track is pure thunder, and Robert’s best leads are on this particular track. Enhancing the sinking feeling of dread are Ross’ vocals, which, while growled, are clear enough to guide the listener through this crushing tale of greed, sin, insanity and hopelessness. ‘Lower’ is Immolation at their horrifying best.

‘Atonement’ is a bit catchier than most of the other tracks on the album, but that’s not a bad thing. As the title track, it’s expected to stand apart from the rest of the album, and indeed it does. The riffs and outro are excellent and memorable, and make for one of the best title tracks in Immolation’s entire discography.

Both ‘Above All’ and ‘Power of Gods’ are typically menacing in the best Immolation style; with ‘Above All’, in particular having a powerful, stompy groove to it, while ‘Power of Gods’ is far more blast beat driven and could have easily fit on their 2010 album, Majesty And Decay.

Atonement closes out with ‘Epiphany’, a well-rounded crusher that encompasses all of the elements that make the album great. It includes another moody, but memorable outro and some somber, creepy lead work from Vigna.

This is a fantastic album from start to finish. There are no fillers or weak tracks, and it’s an exemplary showcase of Immmolation’s musicianship and songwriting ability. It’s the type of album a person can spin numerous times, and still discover something new on every listen. And while Atonement is approaching only it’s eighth anniversary, it’s an instant classic that deserves a place in every self-respecting metalhead’s collection.