Hm...another review starting with one of the (if not THE) best Swedish Death Metal bands of all time! Of course I'm speaking for At The Gates and their former frontman Tomas Lindberg and one of the numerous bands he growls with -along with ex-Diabolique members-, The Great Deceiver.
Inspired their name from a King Crimson song, The Great Deceiver started their deceiving journey right after the long-foreseen At The Gates break up in 1997/98. Since then, they tried to create a unique sound leading to an EP , Jet Blak Art (2000) and a full album release, A Venom Well Designed (2002). Two Years later, they came back with Terra Incognito.
Hardcore has always been an underground aspect of our music and even though I'm not an expert in this genre, I do believe that this is the way this music wants to be heard. If you want to emerge it from the underground you can add more metal elements in it. That's where The Great Deceiver interferes. After all these years they've created a well imagined Metal-Core hybrid, which really works out well for both sides. As Tomas himself commented on this band, he said that The Great Deceiver is the dark hardcore cousin of At The Gates and this album should be treated like wisely. Terra Incognito's unique sound lets you travel on the foremost paths of your dark soul, it's deep, it's aggressive, it's passionate.
Filled with ten low tempo songs, electronic samples just where they should be and not overdone with them, this album is screaming for a chance to be heard. It may disappoint you initially but after a while it really starts growing in you. Tomas Lindberg's vocals aren't as aggressive as we were used to (At The Gates,Lock Up, The Crown to name a few) but as a great vocalist as himself, really puts some dark essence into the songs. Speaking for the rest of the band, the guitar work isn't anything exquisite or boring but it's as good as it should be and I can't really say that I was impressed on the drum work either.
As a final verdict Terra Incognito is good ,dark, low-tempo album, which can be easily listened but hardly loved. It starts with good intentions but somehow on the way to the finish, it fails to deliver.