Ingested – The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams (Review)

This is the seventh album from UK death metallers Ingested.

So, if you’re a fan of deathcore-edged brutal death metal, then you must surely know of Ingested by now, (if not, acquaint yourself with The Level Above Human, Where Only Gods May Tread, Ashes Lie Still, and the rest). Ingested seem to be on a bit of a creative binge over the last few years, pumping out albums like nobody’s business, which brings us to the 45 minutes of heaviness that is The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams.

Over the years Ingested have developed their deathcore side more, removed some brutal/slam parts, (certainly nowhere near all), while still maintaining a visceral heart of crushing death metal. Does The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams travel further down this path, or does it regress into slamming brutal death metal barbarity?

Well, it’s a good synthesis of both really, delivering a ferocious collection of tracks that combine old and new into a face-ripping whole. I like that The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams embraces past Ingested material, while dragging it firmly into the band’s modern incarnation. The end result is a snarling, fanged beast that bludgeons with slamming brutality, as well as providing the band room to still expand their savage vision.

The well-built songs bleed brutality, but also benefit from melody that’s hidden within the belligerent distortion. This adds a compelling layer to the sheets of lethal distortion, adding dynamics and feeling to songs that are designed to maim, kill, and destroy first and foremost. Each song uses its component parts well, hitting the spot with merciless ease. Despite the music’s heaviness there’s an accessibility here that makes for an easily enjoyable album if you’re a fan of heavy music, while still keeping things firmly in the realm of extreme metal. It’s delivered with energy and passion, and is a very infectious and moreish album, (one that’s also perfect for the gym).

Two notable guest spots occur too, from the singers of Sylosis and Chimaira. Both succeed in bringing something extra to the song that they’re on, offering a sufficiently different style of singing to differentiate themselves from Ingested’s potent vocalist. This allows the songs to benefit from a new aspect that would be absent otherwise, (which is especially true of the Chimaira singer’s song In Nothingness).

Each of the songs has something of its own to offer, making The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams one of Ingested’s most well-rounded and enjoyable albums, (special shoutout to instrumental cut Numinous too, which just drips with moody presence). This is a strong record, one to blast out over and over again. If you’re a fan of modern heaviness, don’t miss out on getting your skull caved in by this.