Invicta is ready for their second album.
Formed in Canada in 2017, the band released a debut EP in 2018, followed by an album in 2019. After a split with five other Canadian bands, Kyle Edissi (guitar/vocals, ex-Æpoch, live for Heathen), Jonah Kay (guitar, Monarch Woods), Shareef Hassanien (drums, ex-Razor, live for Heathen), and Steven Rowlands (bass, Scorn, Unbowed) announce the release of Triumph and Torment, through SubLevel Records.
The album opens with The New Throne, a first track which immediately shows the band’s ability to mix heady melodies and a solid basis between Thrash and Death, complemented by aggressive vocals. The sharp guitars offer a worked duet just like on Forces of Annihilation and its unbridled rage which lets drums develop a massive blast. The track will still slightly slow down to let leads place their sharp melodies, then Apprentice of Death appears with more Old School tonalities to let raw strength express itself. Explosions of violence and softer parts are also well managed to pace the composition, just like on the epic Battle the Beyond which offers motivating sounds to accompany the band’s charge. Screams guide us between riffs to Sinister Obsession and its more technical elements which give the jerky rhythm a touch of complex aggression while remaining melodic. The Morning’s Light will present unexpected oriental influences, but violence quickly resurfaces, letting the band couple its rage with more majestic and heady elements before returning to the Old School tonalities with Parasitic Reign. The frantic rhythmic skillfully integrates screams and blasts while guitars build this sharp rampart which does not hesitate to become heavier before Preeminence offers us a short moment of quietness. Clean sound will be joined by a light distortion, followed by Embodiement of Infamy, a track which plays on speed to spread extremely effective riffs. Leads offer this melodic touch to the virulent and sharp waves again, but the album comes to an end with the very long Triumph and Torment, the eponymous composition, which will link haunting melodies, devastating fury, technical parts and more majestic sounds during a more than ten minute long surge.
If you can’t choose between Death and Thrash Metal, you’ll be surprised by Invicta, which skillfully mixes both. Triumph and Torment is a perfect representation of the band’s ability to spread complex elements or soaring melodies, while placing catchy riffs.
85/100