New York death metal institution Immolation return with their twelfth studio album Descent, unveiling the record’s first single Adversary and detailing a release that further consolidates their legacy as one of extreme metal’s most enduring forces.
by Paul Cashmere
For more than three decades, Immolation have occupied a rare position within death metal, a band deeply rooted in the genre’s origins while continually refining a sound that remains unmistakably their own. In 2026, the New York veterans continue that trajectory with the announcement of Descent, their twelfth studio album, set for release on April 10 via Nuclear Blast Records.
The album arrives as Immolation enter a particularly active period, with major touring commitments underway and a renewed creative focus that builds upon the momentum of recent releases. From their formative years in the late 1980s through to their present incarnation, Immolation’s output has consistently reflected a balance of aggression, atmosphere and compositional depth. Descent stands as the latest chapter in a catalogue that began with the influential
Dawn Of Possession in 1991, a record that helped define the language of American death metal and continues to resonate with new generations of listeners.
The first glimpse of the new album comes with the release of Adversary, a track that encapsulates Immolation’s command of tension and weight. Driven by relentless percussion, dissonant riff structures and Ross Dolan’s unmistakable vocal presence, the song demonstrates a band fully aware of its identity while still pushing its internal boundaries. The accompanying music video was directed by guitarist Robert Vigna, reinforcing the group’s hands-on approach to every aspect of their presentation.
Across Descent, Immolation extend ideas explored on their recent albums while reconnecting with elements that defined their earliest recordings. The material draws from the band’s established vocabulary of jagged riffing and ominous pacing, with moments that recall the stark intensity of their early demos alongside more expansive arrangements shaped by decades of experience. The result is an album that reflects continuity rather than reinvention, a deliberate refinement of a sound that has remained singular since the band’s inception.
The production of Descent was handled across two locations, with guitars, bass and vocals recorded by Justin Passamonte at Jpass Music, and drums tracked at Mercinary Studios with Noah Buchanan. Long-time collaborator Zack Ohren worked closely with the band on production duties and completed the mixing and mastering. The final sound captures both the immediacy and the depth of Immolation’s music, allowing the band’s most forceful passages and their more atmospheric moments to coexist with clarity and intent.
Visually, Immolation continue a longstanding collaboration with acclaimed artist Eliran Kantor, whose cover artwork has become closely associated with the band’s modern era. The Descent artwork maintains that tradition, complemented by internal illustrations from Santiago Jaramillo of Triple Seis Design. Together, the visual elements reinforce the themes and mood of the album, presenting Descent as a fully realised artistic statement rather than a standalone release.
Immolation’s history traces back to the mid-1980s New York underground, emerging from the ashes of Rigor Mortis and quickly establishing themselves as a formidable presence through a series of demos that circulated widely within the global tape-trading network. Their early signing to Roadrunner Records led to Dawn Of Possession, a debut that cemented their reputation for technical precision and dark, unsettling atmospheres. Subsequent periods with Metal Blade Records, Listenable Records and Century Media saw the release of landmark albums including Here In After, Failures For Gods and Close To A World Below, each expanding the band’s reach without diluting their core aesthetic.
Since aligning with Nuclear Blast in 2010, Immolation have entered a particularly consistent phase, delivering Majesty And Decay, Kingdom Of Conspiracy, Atonement and 2022’s Acts Of God. Descent follows that lineage, reflecting a band that remains creatively engaged and unwilling to rest on past achievements.
With Descent, Immolation reaffirm their position as one of death metal’s most reliable and respected voices, a group whose influence is measured not only in longevity but in the continued relevance of their work. As the album’s release approaches, Adversary offers a clear signal that Immolation’s fire remains undiminished.
IMMOLATION – Descent
Release Date: April 10
Formats: CD, LP, Digital Album
Tracklisting
01. These Vengeful Winds
02. The Ephemeral Curse
03. God’s Last Breath
04. Adversary
05. Attrition
06. Bend Towards The Dark
07. Host
08. False Ascent
09. Banished
10. Descent
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