Invocation Of The Eternally Coiling Serpent

 I'm not going to sit here and type a big, long, boring paragraph about how influential and amazing Integrity are. I've never been a fan of hyperbole, so I'll just let their notoriety speak for itself. Founded in 1988, this Cleveland based hardcore powerhouse has been around long enough to witness the genre they helped spawn (metalcore) become a watered-down parody of itself, complete with petty depressed teenagers and adults that take themselves too seriously. In an attempt to steer the genre back in the right direction, Integrity have given us The Blackest Curse.  The album starts off strong with "The Process Of Illumination", and the songs seemingly get heavier as they go with tracks like "Through The Shadows Of Forever", and the blazingly fast "Simulacra". Things get a little more experimental just after the halfway point, as three of the later tracks favor vocalist Dwid Hellion's side project Roses Never Fade. Some of these songs may take more than a few listens to warm up to, but I think that overall, The Blackest Curse is a decent album, and definitely a must-have for anyone who is a long time fan. I've also posted a link to Holy Terror,  a website where the band themselves have posted a large chunk of their discography for free download,  I suppose in an effort to take back control of their art. Good for them, and good for you...

Download: Integrity - The Blackest Curse (2010)

Free Album Downloads: Classic Albums, Splits, EP's, Etc.