Angry Metal GuyIncite – Savage New Times Review
By Steel Druhm
Written By: Nameless_n00b_602
Within metal circles, one does not simply invoke the Cavalera name. Its crest is adorned with more than just the seminal works of Sepultura. There is ambition there that does not sleep. That great name is ever pushing boundaries, creating new sounds. This is no barren wasteland riddled with fire and ash and dust. There is no poisonous fume for inspiration to choke on. Not with 10,000 artists could you accomplish what those brothers have done; it is folly. Thus, it is with great interest—and a little skepticism—that I was assigned Incite’s seventh LP. Fronted by Max Cavalera’s stepson, Richie Cavalera, Savage New Times promises to be the band’s truest-to-self offering yet. Let’s see how deep the roots go.
For those unfamiliar, Incite majors in groove metal. A familiar southern aggression suffuses Layne Richardson’s axe work and Cavalera’s contentious lyrical delivery. Mid-paced tracks like “Used and Abused” or “Savage New Times” take a cue from Lamb of God or Exhorder, while rager “No Mercy, No Forgiveness” could easily fit on an early DevilDriver record. Bassist EL knows his craft well, building tension and promising violence with well-placed, threatening basslines (“Chucked Off,” “Never Die Once”). The instruments make room in verses for Cavalera’s vocal aggression to brew before crashing together in a choral release, and it is here that drummer Lennon Lopez shines. His energetic drumming steals the spotlight on the choruses of “Used and Abused” and “Chucked Off.” With such strong adherence to the tenets of groove metal, Savage New Times makes it clear that Incite has never missed a class at Pantera’s Vulgar School of Power.
Incite meets with mixed success when they venture outside their core sound. Richardson shows real prowess on “Used and Abused,” where he evokes both Amon Amarth in the bridge and the spiraling tones of System of a Down in the chorus. “Savage New Times” features leads reminiscent of Cannibal Corpse in the verse and, like “Feel This Shit (I’m Fired Up),” sports a militant burst fire tempo around the midpoint. On the other hand, “Doubts and the Fear” falters with a murky, pseudo-psychedelic bridge and nasally Agnostic Front-tinged vocals. Longest song “Dolores” also struggles. Unlike Phil Anselmo’s softer cleans that match the verses of Pantera’s “This Love,” Cavalera barely dulls his edge for the parallel sections of “Dolores,” creating a sonic disconnect between the instruments and himself. This is exacerbated by a similar divide between the rhythm section and the sprawling, idyllic solo recalling “Hotel California.”
More generally, Savage New Times suffers from unambitious songwriting. Except for the neoclassical intro of “Chucked Off” and the solo in “Used and Abused,” Richardson’s lead sections feel lethargic and unremarkable. Song structures feature minimal variation and fall into cyclical verse-chorus-verse-chorus patterns. While this isn’t a problem individually, ten songs of it feels repetitive. Additionally, several tracks lack a satisfying conclusion and feel half-baked. “Dolores” ends with a well-performed piano melody, but it feels tacked on after such a strong finish from the band. Similarly, by cutting their outros, “Lies,” “Feel This Shit (I’m Fired Up),” and “No Mercy, No Forgiveness” could have all ended powerfully rather than aimlessly.
While Savage New Times isn’t a terrible album, because of its deficiencies, I often found myself listening to Incite’s influences rather than Incite themselves. There’s plenty to critique between unmoving songcraft and mixed experimentation, but the final nail in the coffin is the production.1 There’s a slight sibilance and several artifacts throughout Savage New Times. It’s most egregious on “Used and Abused,” ruining one of the record’s best cuts.2 This is the common trend of the album—otherwise good tracks flawed by preventable missteps. I’ve spun this record dozens of times, and I’m sure that with more confidence and a clearer vision, Incite has a good record in them. Savage New Times just isn’t it.
Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 192 kbps mp3
Label: Reigning Phoenix Music
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: August 15th, 2025
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