Review by Ben for Disincarnate - Dreams of the Carrion Kind (1993)

Disincarnate are known simply for the fact that James Murphy was a member of the band. The genius guitarist adds a stack of class to just about every album he touches (although he couldn't save Cancer's Death Shall Rise) with massive titles by Death, Obituary and Testament to his name. But what makes this project different from just about every other band he's worked for is that Disincarnate is James Murphy's band. It's not a guest appearance like it so often his for James and it's not the 4th album by a solid line-up that James has just slotted into after a former member's departure. Dreams of the Carrion Kind is a death metal album the way James Murphy wants it to be and that means awesome, tight, old school death metal with obviously fantastic lead guitar work.

Many have complained that most of the tracks on this release sound like each other and I have to admit that's true. The vocalist doesn't really alter his style (typical but good death growls) throughout and a lot of the riffs could be transferred between tracks easily enough. But then it's all so tight and classy, with fantastic sections raising their head regularly out of the comfortable framework. Stench of Paradise Burning is by far and away the best track, but Monarch of the Sleeping Marches and In Sufferance are great also. I guess this is one of those albums that's unlikely to pop up in anyone's top 10 albums of all time but is certainly a good choice for anyone that enjoys old school death metal without necessarily requiring a level of experimentation in their music.