Incompetent... Review

Band	Doom
Album	Incompetent...
Type	Album (Studio full-length)
Released	August 21, 1989
Genres	Progressive Thrash Metal
Labels	Invitation
Length	46:17

Reviewer :  SilentScream213         Rating :  70 / 100

Doom continue the move away from Thrash into the Avant-Garde with their third album Incompetent... The Japanese weirdo metal band delivers odd and unique songs here that are surprisingly consistent in quality despite the variety in structures and sound. The guitar riffs are highly dissonant, and the rough vocals are an audibly accented manic yell. Unfortunately these don’t do much for me, but the rhythm section is something else.

The drums are highly technical and constantly switching between groovier Jazz beats and speedy, punkier remnants of Tech-Thrash. They make sure nothing is ever boring as the beats are always on the move and never feel predictable. But the bass is the real star here. It’s always audible and always doing its own thing, never satisfied with just holding rhythm. I couldn’t even describe what techniques are going on here, but in just about every song, I get hooked on the very Jazz and Funk-influenced bass work, and it outshines guitar as the lead instrument in many cases. While bass guitar tends to be a rather repetitive instrument in most rock due to its delegation as rhythm section, the bass here is anything but repetitive. It’s just wild.

Overall the music isn’t something I’d want to come back to much, but the basswork is up there in the best I’ve ever heard, definitely recommended for those looking for an impressive bass-heavy album.