Review by Chris Pratl on January 8, 2024.

Just when one might be inclined to believe the underground has no creative or resounding wallop left in the right hook Minnesota’s House of Atreus dents the door just before kicking it down and dousing it with kerosene with this initial demo. This half-hour jaunt through death metal design is one of the year’s better offerings I’ve encountered, along with Deus Otiosus’ full-length debut. What HoA encompasses is a definitive and concise foray into the bowels of death metal, yet somehow there is little muck and mess upon diving within. That is to say there is no overt DM ‘filth’ and ‘grit’ per se but rather a unique ‘polish’ that doesn’t denigrate the music or the feel and sets the mark ever higher for other bands to achieve a similar and viable sound.

House of Atreus doesn’t carve a niche as much as it reshapes and shaves a tired and weary genre with such phenomenal tracks like “Throne of Chariots”, which could well be Sweden’s early 90’s effort without the particular attentiveness to the ugly side of the movement. The vocals are a raspy, even throaty bellowing that are clear and precise, while the music underneath simply finds every longing crevice in your cold heart and plants seeds of discomfort and fascination accordingly. With memorable riffs that stick like epoxy to the brain and a voice that growls its resentment in no less than two tones, I’m actually excited about a new band on the horizon.

And homegrown too, people!

The lush atmosphere surrounding the guitar tone with a slight hint of fuzz destroys any notions of run-of-the-mill rehashes in these five amazing tracks. What the totality of the death metal movement lacks in the face of lethargic, uninspired muck is expertly hones here to a degree of careful arrangement and detail. To provide the true disciple with an alternative blueprint for the future of a medium that wrestles daily with the commercialism looming over heavy metal rest solely in hands like these. I’m telling you right now; watch this band because this is only the beginning for them. The tape is numbered to 250 copies, so grab one yesterday.

Rating: 9 out of 10

(Originally written for www.metalpsalter.com)

Review by Chris Pratl on January 8, 2024.

Just when one might be inclined to believe the underground has no creative or resounding wallop left in the right hook Minnesota’s House of Atreus dents the door just before kicking it down and dousing it with kerosene with this initial demo. This half-hour jaunt through death metal design is one of the year’s better offerings I’ve encountered, along with Deus Otiosus’ full-length debut. What HoA encompasses is a definitive and concise foray into the bowels of death metal, yet somehow there is little muck and mess upon diving within. That is to say there is no overt DM ‘filth’ and ‘grit’ per se but rather a unique ‘polish’ that doesn’t denigrate the music or the feel and sets the mark ever higher for other bands to achieve a similar and viable sound.

House of Atreus doesn’t carve a niche as much as it reshapes and shaves a tired and weary genre with such phenomenal tracks like “Throne of Chariots”, which could well be Sweden’s early 90’s effort without the particular attentiveness to the ugly side of the movement. The vocals are a raspy, even throaty bellowing that are clear and precise, while the music underneath simply finds every longing crevice in your cold heart and plants seeds of discomfort and fascination accordingly. With memorable riffs that stick like epoxy to the brain and a voice that growls its resentment in no less than two tones, I’m actually excited about a new band on the horizon.

And homegrown too, people!

The lush atmosphere surrounding the guitar tone with a slight hint of fuzz destroys any notions of run-of-the-mill rehashes in these five amazing tracks. What the totality of the death metal movement lacks in the face of lethargic, uninspired muck is expertly hones here to a degree of careful arrangement and detail. To provide the true disciple with an alternative blueprint for the future of a medium that wrestles daily with the commercialism looming over heavy metal rest solely in hands like these. I’m telling you right now; watch this band because this is only the beginning for them. The tape is numbered to 250 copies, so grab one yesterday.

Rating: 9 out of 10

(Originally written for www.metalpsalter.com)

Review by JD on April 7, 2011.

I push play on the album from Italy’s Engraved, all the while wondering what was I going to hear. Seeing the album name is taken from Japanese Mythology (being that is sort of like a Phoenix) made me very interested in hearing this band, so here I was, diving right into things.

Upon first impressions - the band was fast, furious and massively extreme in the way they conveyed it. That did not change much over the next two time I listened to it - but what did change was the fact that I was enjoying the album more and more with each play as I formulated his review, something that rarely happens to me. I usually know on the first play, but hey - there is an exception to everything.

Mixing the attitudes of Hardcore with Modern Metal and a touch of even Thrash too Ingraved explodes out with fury and passion. The title track 'Onryou' is a prime example of what they do - they take off, speeding along while still holding it all together as they do. It is that feel of the band almost being out of control yet keeping it together tightly that seems to be the key to their success. The way Ingraved has come out blasting, should get then massive amounts of respect... and that will breed fear in other bands because they will never achieve this wicked balance that this Italian outfit has going for them

I did not like the production on the album in certain spots. Finding the way it was recorded was away how Ingraved walked that fine line between musical brilliance and turning into speeding noise. With that put out there, this is still a very good and intelligent recording. I for one, think that this is just the beginning for the band (they have two previous releases) and the next one might be the one that propels them to bigger and better things.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship:8.5
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 6
Originality: 7
Overall: 8

Rating: 7.5 out of 10