By Appointment of the state of Arizona
"Is there no standard anymore?" Phil Anselmo once famously asked on Pantera's Walk. My answer, Phil, would depend on what you mean by standard. You know, you might get fairly standard beer: "meh, it's fairly standard" but you might also say this the standard by which all beers should be measured. There's a difference. Incite are fairly standard metal - not the worst, not the best - but they are hardly the standard that a band should aspire to.
It might be that singer Richie Cavalera is unjustly held up to the standards of his father Max but that happens to the offspring of any artist. It can be overcome or at least ignored. No, Incite are simply a fairly solid band that reflect the modern mainstream metal sound, albeit a precise and well-delivered sound. From the start the band bounce thrash off metalcore for an unrelenting 45 minutes taking their cues from what is probably mainstream metal's actual standard: Lamb of God on opener Up In Hell (Walk With Me In Hell?) and elsewhere on Rightful Spot, for instance.
They use speed to their advantage on WTF - no time to linger on mediocre lyrics more time for headbanging riffs and drums - and also on the authority baiting False Flag. They dial up a gallop on Fallen which follows more a classic approach but again, the lyrics err on the cringeworthy. Not that you particularly doubt Cavalera's sincerity more that he has anything to say. Liam Cormier of contemporaries Cancer Bats pops up for groove-metal scream off Rightful Spot and it works well over a bruising arrangement. Although initially I thought he sang, "you will never be satisfied with my wife". He actually said 'life'...
Rise to Greatness seems to chart the power mad "I all I want ever want is war". Who Am I offers no surprises bar its juddering middle eight before Incite seem to read your mind on track 8 Still Here - oh yes, so you are with your descending Dimebag riff nick.
There you have it then, Incite are maybe the Carlsberg of metal bands - perfectly serviceable when you're thirsty but there are better, more interesting options out there.