Incite’s Latest LP Is A “Savage” New Offering For The Band’s Established Audiences, Metal Purists Alike

By: Philip Sayblack

The countdown to the end of 2025 is officially on.  With only a little more than two months left in the year, it would seem that things don’t show much sign of slowing down, as even early next month, new music is on the way from the likes of Agnostic Front and Biohazard, as well as Dropout Kings, and a number of others.  Before their new music is released though, there is also lots of notable music already released this year that has given rock, hard rock, and metal fans reason to raise their horns, including Incite’s latest album, Savage New Times.  Released Aug. 15 through Reigning Phoenix Music, the 10-song record (the band’s seventh album), the 32-minute record is just as solid a jumping on point for new audiences as it is a new offering for established listeners.  This is proven through the record’s musical arrangements.  The lyrical themes that accompany said content adds to the presentation’s success.  Each item noted plays its own important part to the whole of the album’s presentation.  All things considered they make Savage New Times yet another welcome entry in an already extremely overloaded field of notable hard rock and metal albums.
This year has been quite fruitful to say the least in the hard rock and metal communities.  There have been so many great new albums from the likes of Arch Enemy, Whitechapel, Machine Head, Killswitch Engage and so many others have made that clear, as have more recent releases from the likes of Testament and Soulfly.  Not to be ignored is Incite and its latest album, Savage New Times.  The album stands out in part through its featured musical arrangements.  From the beginning to the end of the 32-minute record, the arrangements featured herein exhibit influence from and comparison to works from so many of the band’s contemporaries.  ‘Doubts and the Fear’ for instance, has a solid thrash approach quite similar to that of Soulfly (the band of front man Richie Cavalera’s stepfather, Max Cavalera) and to that of Testament.  As the song closes out, there is also a nice black metal riff that surprises in the best way possible.  ‘Feel This S***’ meanwhile is another thrash style work but also incorporates some hardcore punk lean a la Biohazard.  The combination of those influences makes this song yet another unique presentation further exhibiting the role of the album’s musical arrangements.  Even as the song makes its way toward its end, the searing guitar riff in those closing bars is immediately comparable to those of none other than Kerry King (Slayer).  So herein is even more interest in this song in just one single moment. 
As the album enters its second half, the strength of its musical presentation is just as solid.  This is proven in the high-energy arrangement in ‘No Mercy No Forgiveness.’  Audiences who actively listen to the song will immediately be able to make comparison to works from Lamb of God and others of that ilk.  The black metal guitar lean mentioned earlier returns later in the album in even bigger fashion in ‘Used and Abused,’ with the approach having even more presence this time out. When this arrangement is considered along with the others examined here and that whole with the rest of the album’s entries, the entirety makes fully clear the place of the album’s musical arrangements.
The musical body of Savage New Times is itself unquestionably savage, giving metal purists plenty to appreciate.  It is just part of what audiences will appreciate about the album.  The record’s lyrical themes are hard hitting in their own way, as well as being fully accessible.  Case in point is the song, ‘Doubts and the Fear.’  This song is that familiar examination of mental health struggles that so many people face daily.  At the same time it is an urging for those struggling to not give up.  This as Cavalera states here, “Every step forward/I’m met with resistance/Deep down inside/I battle with decisions/So many thoughts that are leading me astray/Trying to silence my mind/I can’t be afraid/Doubts and the fear/Slowly creeping in/Can’t let them win.”  There in that final line is the reminder to not give up no matter what.  This sole verse and chorus is familiar territory and is just as welcome here as in any other act’s song focusing on the same topic.  The message continues in the song’s second verse, which states, “Gather up my courage/Believe in myself/All the bad choices/have made my own private hell/Everything just feels so wrong/No matter what I do/Can’t give into my mind/I’ve got to fight through.”  Once more here is that reminder to not give up.  Fighting is not easy.  It simply is not.  But fighting through it is the only way.  It is not about beating it.  It is about surviving every day.  To that end, this message is a prime example of the importance and strength of the album’s lyrical content.
‘Used and Abused’ is another solid example of the strength of the album’s lyrics.  In this case, the song would seem to address those fake people who pretend to be friends to the face but are anything but when a person’s back is turned.  This is inferred as Cavalera notes in the song’s lead verse and chorus, “You tell me that you know my pain/After you stabbed me in the back/I feel nothing about us is the same/Always looking for someone to blame/Used and abused/Never again/Surge of strength/That s*** ends/Stand up for myself/Never again will I allow that kind of hell.”  He continues in the song’s second verse, “We have two very different wounds/Caused by the jealousy in your head/Anger held onto/From a violent past/Life was slowly ripping off the mask.”  From there Cavalera once again angrily re-states in the song’s chorus, “Never again will I allow that kind of hell” because of what that person has done to the subject.  That defiance against the person who would try to ruin another’s life because of their own misery is another familiar theme in the hard rock and metal community.  The delivery of said message herein makes the familiar message delivered in easily accessible fashion, once more exhibiting the strength of the record’s lyrical content.
‘Just a Rat,’ the album’s third entry follows in similar fashion to ‘Used and Abused’ as it addresses a person who has created their own hell.  This is a person who has let their own greed, their down disdain for others created their misery even as they tried to use others and bring others down.  It is yet another familiar message considering that such people are out there.  It is delivered in just as accessible a fashion.  When this theme and the others examined here are considered along with the rest of the album’s lyrical content, the whole therein makes clear, the overall strength and importance of Savage New Times’ lyrical content.  When the overall lyrical and musical content herein is considered collectively it makes for a presentation that makes the record in whole that much stronger and welcome in this year’s field of new hard rock and metal albums.
For all that the album’s musical and lyrical content offer audiences to appreciate, they are still not all that is worth noting.  The record’s production puts the finishing touch to the whole.  There is a lot going on in each arrangement in regard to musical and lyrical content.  Thankfully those behind the boards expertly balanced the vocals and instrumental performances in every song, ensuring at no point did one musician’s work overpower that of his band mates.  The result is a record whose general presentation is just as laudable as its overall content.  Keeping that in mind, the whole of Savage New Times proves to be yet another solid entry in an already massively crowded field of notable new hard rock and metal albums.
Savage New Times, the latest full-length studio offering from Incite, is a powerful new offering from the veteran metal outfit.  The record holds its own well alongside its hard rock and metal counterparts from this year in part through its musical arrangements.  The arrangements are of note because of their familiarity in sound and style.  From one to the next, the arrangements are easily comparable to work from so many of the band’s hard rock and metal contemporaries.  The lyrical themes that accompany the album’s musical arrangements build on the record’s success because of their familiarity and accessibility.  The record’s production puts the finishing touch to the whole, as it ensures an audio presentation that is just as laudable as the record’s content presentation.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the album.  All things considered they make Savage New Times a work that has definitely made its own place in this year’s already overly loaded field of notable new hard rock and metal albums.
Savage New Times is available now.  More information on the record is available along with all of Incite’s latest news at https://facebook.com/inciteheavymetal.