Incantation (American band)

Incantation is an American death metal band formed by John McEntee and Paul Ledney in 1989. Despite the band's members currently residing in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Incantation are considered leaders in the New York City death metal scene along with Suffocation, Mortician and Immolation. Incantation are also considered to be highly influential on a range of later death metal bands including Dead Congregation, Grave Miasma, and Portal, who are often described as "cavernous death metal."^[3]

Incantation
Incantation performing in 2019
Background information
Origin	Fairlawn, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres	Death metal death-doom doom metal[1] blackened death metal (early)[2]
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Seraphic Decay Relapse Necropolis Olympic Listenable Ibex Moon
Spinoffs	Profanatica
Members	John McEntee Chuck Sherwood Kyle Severn Luke Shively
Website	incantation.com

To date, the band has released twelve full-length albums, two live albums, four EPs, two singles, three split-EPs, one DVD, and three demos. Their most recent album, Unholy Deification, was released through Relapse Records in August 2023. The band have maintained a significant cult following and underground popularity since the '90s.^[3]

Guitarist and vocalist John McEntee is the sole founding member of Incantation, though drummer Kyle Severn has appeared on every studio album since their third full-length, Diabolical Conquest.

History

Incantation was formed in 1989 by Paul Ledney (drums and vocals), Aragon Amori (bass), Brett Makowski (rhythm guitar) and John McEntee (lead guitar).^[4] McEntee previously played in a thrash metal band called Revenant.^[5][6] In 1990, disagreements in the band over whether to incorporation black metal elements, corpse paint and blasphemous lyrics led Ledney, Amori and Makowski to depart from the band, instead forming black metal Profanatica.^[4]

Incantation first came to prominence with Onward to Golgotha and Mortal Throne of Nazarene, both of which feature Craig Pillard on vocals. Following the release of the Forsaken Mourning of Angelic Anguish EP in 1997, Pillard departed the band and was replaced by Daniel Corchado of The Chasm. Corchado performed on 1998's Diabolical Conquest before leaving the band, and vocalist Mike Saez performed on the two following albums, The Infernal Storm (2000) and Blasphemy (2002). Since Decimate Christendom, McEntee took on vocal responsibilities, a role that he continues to the present.^{[citation needed]}

After leaving Incantation, former vocalist Craig Pillard joined New Jersey death metal act Disma in 2008, from which he was fired in 2019 due to allegations of Nazi sympathies.^[7] The members of Incantation defended themselves after coming under fire due to their prior association with him, affirming they had no knowledge of his political leanings until two years after he had left the band.^[5]

Musical style and influences

Thom Jurek of AllMusic described Incantation's sound as "ferocious" and "mercilessly brutal," and categorized the band's style as a fusion of death metal, black metal, and grindcore. He added that the band utilizes "punishing" guitar riffs and "widely varying tempos."^[8] Incantation has also been noted for elements of doom metal present in their music.^[9][10] The band often employs slow and down-tuned passages, similar to the death-doom style of bands like Autopsy.^[3] In an interview with Revolver, guitarist and vocalist John McEntee said: "We always said that the riff itself isn’t important, it’s the feeling you get when you hear the riff."^[5]

Incantation's lyrical content frequently draws on anti-Christian, Satanic, and occult themes.^[3]

The band has cited Necrophagia, Possessed, Destruction, Sepultura, Kreator and Sarcófago as influences.^[5]

Band members

Current John McEntee – lead guitar (1989–2008, 2019–2020), rhythm guitar (1990, 1994–1999, 2002–present), vocals (2002–present) Kyle Severn – drums (1994–1998, 2000–2007, 2009–present) Chuck Sherwood – bass (2008–present) Luke Shively – lead guitar (2020–present) Former Brett Makowski – rhythm guitar (1989–1990) Aragon Amori – bass (1989–1990; died 1996) Paul Ledney – drums, vocals (1989–1990) Sal Seijo – drums (1990) Peter Barnevic – drums (1990) Will Rahmer – vocals (1990) Ronnie Deo – bass (1990–1992; died 2022) Jim Roe – drums (1990–1993, 2007–2008) Craig Pillard – vocals, rhythm guitar (1990–1994) Dan Kamp – bass (1993) Daniel Corchado – bass, vocals (1995–1998) Rob Yench – bass (1998–2001) Mike Saez – vocals, rhythm guitar (1998–2002) Joe Lombard – bass (2001–2006; died 2012) Alex Bouks – lead guitar (2008–2014) Sonny Lombardozzi – lead guitar (2014–2019), rhythm and lead guitar (touring 2003)

Live Bill Venner – rhythm and lead guitar (1990) Dave Niedrist – bass (1993–1994) Randy Scott – bass (1994) Duane Morris – rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals (1994–1995) Mike Donnelly – bass (1995) Mary Ciullo – bass (1996) Nathan Rossi – rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals (1996) Kevin Hughes – bass (1996–1997) Clay Lytle – drums (1998) Tom Stevens – rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals (1998–1999) Rick Boast – drums (1999) Richard Christy – drums (2000) Bill "Belial" Koblak – vocals, rhythm and lead guitar (2002) Vincent Crowley – vocals (2002) Rigel Walshe – bass (2006) Roberto Lizárraga – bass (2006–2009) Reyash – bass (2007, 2014) Jacob Shively – bass (2015) Luke Shively – bass (2015-2020) Dan Grainger – drums (2018) Charlie Koryn - drums (2019 - present) Scott Pivarnick – bass (2022) Dan Vadim Von - bass (2022 - 2023)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

• Onward to Golgotha (1992)
• Mortal Throne of Nazarene (1994)
• Diabolical Conquest (1998)
• The Infernal Storm (2000)
• Blasphemy (2002)
• Decimate Christendom (2004)
• Primordial Domination (2006)
• Vanquish in Vengeance (2012)
• Dirges of Elysium (2014)
• Profane Nexus (2017)
• Sect of Vile Divinities (2020)
• Unholy Deification (2023)

Compilation albums

• XXV (2016)
• Unholy Massacre (2016)
• Tricennial of Blasphemy (2022)

Rough Mix albums

• Upon the Throne of Apocalypse (1995)
• Blasphemous Cremation (2008)

EPs

• Entrantment of Evil (1990)
• Deliverance of Horrific Prophecies (1991)
• The Forsaken Mourning of Angelic Anguish (1997)
• Blasphemous Cremation (2008)

Singles

• "Thieves of the Cloth" (2006)
• "Scapegoat" (2010)
• "Degeneration" (2012)

Splits

• Relapse Singles Series Vol.1 (2002)
• Relapse Singles Series Vol.3 (2004)
• Afterparty Massacre (2011)
• Reh & Live 1990 / Jesus Spawn (2013)

Live albums

• Tribute to the Goat (1997)
• Live Blasphemy in Brazil Tour 2001 (2001)
• Rotting Spiritual Embodiment (2017)