Ingested - Denigration
I've been a big fan of Ingested since I first saw them live, back in 2018. I immediately enjoyed their stompy, slamming style of death metal and each album from Where Only Gods May Tread onward has shown the band further dialing in and fine-tuning their sound. When this new record was first announced, the band had just replaced their founding frontman, Jason Evans but the lead-off single didn't sound markedly different from past output.
In a shocking turn of events, the band abruptly fired their new vocalist, Josh Davies. The band quickly worked to re-record all of the vocals on the forthcoming album, with guitarists Sean Hynes and Andrew Virrueta both laying down replacement tracks. Suffice it to say, it's tough to release an album with much more uncertainty hanging over it than this...
Luckily, things mostly worked out fine. Denigration is a concise, punishing album that will assuage any fears that the band is falling off, even if it doesn't push their sound in any new directions. I appreciate the material's emphasis on strong, headbanging grooves tailor-made to incite moshpits. The combination of the two guitarist's vocals work quite well in lieu of a dedicated vocalist; it's not say that every deathcore vocalist is interchangeable — there are always levels to these things — but two competent backing vocalists and a good mix can work wonders.
If you're at all familiar with the band, this record holds precisely zero surprises. The running time is 41 minutes, and none of it feels monotonous. The guest spots from John Gallagher (Dying Fetus), Kyle Medina (Bodysnatcher) and slam metal icons Peeling Flesh are all worthwhile, lending their respective elements to the Ingested formula. I don't think this record will make it to my AOTY list, but it's a solid effort from a reliable band who are always a blast to see live. I'm looking forward to hearing the new material in-person this August.
PUBLISHED: 2026-05-09