{"id":29943,"date":"2025-08-29T03:01:07","date_gmt":"2025-08-29T03:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/29943\/"},"modified":"2025-08-29T03:01:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T03:01:07","slug":"incite-savage-new-times-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/29943\/","title":{"rendered":"Incite – Savage New Times Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written By: Nameless_n00b_602<\/p>\n

\"\"Within metal circles, one does not simply invoke the Cavalera name. Its crest is adorned with more than just the seminal works of Sepultura<\/strong>. There is ambition there that does not sleep. That great name is ever pushing boundaries, creating new sounds. This is no barren wasteland riddled with fire and ash and dust. There is no poisonous fume for inspiration to choke on. Not with 10,000 artists could you accomplish what those brothers have done; it is folly. Thus, it is with great interest\u2014and a little skepticism\u2014that I was assigned Incite<\/strong>\u2019s seventh LP. Fronted by Max Cavalera\u2019s stepson, Richie Cavalera, Savage New Times promises to be the band\u2019s truest-to-self offering yet. Let\u2019s see how deep the roots go.<\/p>\n

For those unfamiliar, Incite<\/strong> majors in groove metal. A familiar southern aggression suffuses Layne Richardson\u2019s axe work and Cavalera\u2019s contentious lyrical delivery. Mid-paced tracks like \u201cUsed and Abused\u201d or \u201cSavage New Times\u201d take a cue from Lamb of God<\/strong> or Exhorder<\/strong>, while rager \u201cNo Mercy, No Forgiveness\u201d could easily fit on an early DevilDriver<\/strong> record. Bassist EL knows his craft well, building tension and promising violence with well-placed, threatening basslines (\u201cChucked Off,\u201d \u201cNever Die Once\u201d). The instruments make room in verses for Cavalera\u2019s vocal aggression to brew before crashing together in a choral release, and it is here that drummer Lennon Lopez shines. His energetic drumming steals the spotlight on the choruses of \u201cUsed and Abused\u201d and \u201cChucked Off.\u201d With such strong adherence to the tenets of groove metal, Savage New Times makes it clear that Incite<\/strong> has never missed a class at Pantera<\/strong>\u2019s Vulgar School of Power.<\/p>\n

Incite<\/strong> meets with mixed success when they venture outside their core sound. Richardson shows real prowess on \u201cUsed and Abused,\u201d where he evokes both Amon Amarth<\/strong> in the bridge and the spiraling tones of System of a Down<\/strong> in the chorus. \u201cSavage New Times\u201d features leads reminiscent of Cannibal Corpse<\/strong> in the verse and, like \u201cFeel This Shit (I\u2019m Fired Up),\u201d sports a militant burst fire tempo around the midpoint. On the other hand, \u201cDoubts and the Fear\u201d falters with a murky, pseudo-psychedelic bridge and nasally Agnostic Front<\/strong>-tinged vocals. Longest song \u201cDolores\u201d also struggles. Unlike Phil Anselmo\u2019s softer cleans that match the verses of Pantera<\/strong>\u2019s \u201cThis Love,\u201d Cavalera barely dulls his edge for the parallel sections of \u201cDolores,\u201d creating a sonic disconnect between the instruments and himself. This is exacerbated by a similar divide between the rhythm section and the sprawling, idyllic solo recalling \u201cHotel California.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

More generally, Savage New Times suffers from unambitious songwriting. Except for the neoclassical intro of \u201cChucked Off\u201d and the solo in \u201cUsed and Abused,\u201d Richardson\u2019s lead sections feel lethargic and unremarkable. Song structures feature minimal variation and fall into cyclical verse-chorus-verse-chorus patterns. While this isn\u2019t a problem individually, ten songs of it feels repetitive. Additionally, several tracks lack a satisfying conclusion and feel half-baked. \u201cDolores\u201d ends with a well-performed piano melody, but it feels tacked on after such a strong finish from the band. Similarly, by cutting their outros, \u201cLies,\u201d \u201cFeel This Shit (I\u2019m Fired Up),\u201d and \u201cNo Mercy, No Forgiveness\u201d could have all ended powerfully rather than aimlessly.<\/p>\n

While Savage New Times isn\u2019t a terrible album, because of its deficiencies, I often found myself listening to Incite<\/strong>\u2019s influences rather than Incite<\/strong> themselves. There\u2019s plenty to critique between unmoving songcraft and mixed experimentation, but the final nail in the coffin is the production. There\u2019s a slight sibilance and several artifacts throughout Savage New Times. It\u2019s most egregious on \u201cUsed and Abused,\u201d ruining one of the record\u2019s best cuts. This is the common trend of the album\u2014otherwise good tracks flawed by preventable missteps. I\u2019ve spun this record dozens of times, and I\u2019m sure that with more confidence and a clearer vision, Incite<\/strong> has a good record in them. Savage New Times just isn\u2019t it.<\/p>\n

\ufeff<\/p>\n

Rating:<\/strong> 2.0\/5.0
DR:<\/strong> 8 | Format Reviewed:<\/strong> 192 kbps mp3
Label:<\/strong> Reigning Phoenix Music<\/a>
Websites:<\/strong> Bandcamp<\/a> | Instagram<\/a> | Facebook<\/a>
Releases Worldwide:<\/strong> August 15th, 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tGive in to Your Anger:\n<\/p>\n