In The Name Of God – Faces

Formed in 2009, In The Name Of God (Often styled as ITNOG) is a progressive death metal band from Wałbrzych, Poland. Jeff Jeffrey Hardy (a person responsible for mixing and mastering of the record and a video for a song “The Last Breath Of Humanity”) was kind to send me this killer of a package with few stickers and a plectrum, and most importantly band’s fourth studio album entitled Faces.

Tracklist for Faces:

1. Elite Murder Society

2. Night Of Confessions

3. Disintegrated

4. The Last Breath Of Humanity

5. Pretending Of Life

6. Throne Of Fire

7. Killer Instinct

8. Faces

The band responsible for the creation of this independently released eight-tracker record is comprised of following five members; Bartłomiej Serafinowski (drums), Grzegorz Tavot (vocals), Damian Raczek (guitar), Artur Cierpiki (guitar) and Mateusz Pozorsi (bass). On Faces the group produces old-school, brutal death metal with moderately technical and atmospheric influences. In other words; it’s a collection of eight lengthy tracks mixing prog- and classic death metal. Thus, we get to hear some intricate and crushing (but not excessive) riffing, coupled with heavy guitar rhythms, mostly brutal and slamming death metal style vocals, slower and groovier bass foundations, and finally a lot of interesting drum patterns.

Their style of playing can be described as a classic & intense death metal sound with complex arrangements, triggers memories to the 90s death metal scene and bands like Vader, Hate, Morbid Angel, Unleashed and Gorefest. However, it doesn’t mean that the band doesn’t sound fresh and original. On the contrary, the whole thing sounds updated and with a more modern sound than the one from their scene forerunners.

Key tracks in my opinion are the opening “Elite Murder Society”, then “The Last Breath Of Humanity” (watch the video below) and the closing title track, “Faces”. The album begins with the aforementioned strong opener, “Elite Murder Society”, where some complex notes collide with crushing riffs and heavy guitar rhythms. Another of my favourites “The Last Breath of Humanity”, featuring a few slower groove-oriented moments, with some well-crafted guitars and a lot of interesting drum patterns. Ultimately, we have the title track “Faces” which begins with a melodic sound, then systematically delivering a sonic assault of hammering riffs. Cover art is beautiful – features visceral, high-contrast imagery with many detailed and grotesque illustrations that perfectly match the band’s sonic intensity.

In short; Faces is an album where the violent and extreme elements from death metal are perfectly combined with the intricacy and dynamics from progressive/atmospheric music. It is a vibrant and majestic addition to the genre and as such recommended for all fans of a classic, yet progressive and atmospheric death metal. For further info visit their bandcamp here.