Immolation has returned with their first new material since the astoundingly high quality comeback album Majesty and Decay. Although the band has always put out consistently awesome material, there was just so much they did right with that one.  Although their newest release, the Providence EP does the band justice, and is a solid release to tide over eager fans until the upcoming full length, it can’t shake the feel of a somewhat half-hearted endeavor.

The ferocious “What They Bring” kicks off the proceedings and is a pretty solid song. The band’s usual dark, mid-tempo brand of epic death metal, with sporadic bursts of vicious aural assaults are just as effective as ever, and vocalist Ross Dolan sounds absolutely devastating.  “Illumination” brings the band’s generally reserved keyboards to the forefront and coupled with a grandiose synth/guitar song structure, and pummeling blast beats, there is a lot to grab hold of. “Still Lost is another brutal, fast paced, heavily black metal influenced track with relentless blast beats and interesting, surprisingly intricate percussion being the highlight of the track. This one is pretty much a full frontal assault through and through.

The title track “Providence” is a decent, if slightly unremarkable namesake. It is a plodding, ominous, slow burn death metal ballad, with a consistent tempo and some powerfully crushing riffs that have a distinctly war-like quality about them. The final track “Swallow the Fear” is another mid tempo piece that would make a fantastic live song. It is moody one with lots of groove and some nicely executed breakdowns. It is also a well placed one, as it is definitely my favorite song on the album leaving a strong thread of anticipation for what comes next.

Production wise this release is pretty much the same as its predecessor, with a light emphasis on atmospheric keyboards and a very mechanical sound, like a group of machines playing death metal Everything is rapid precise, yet like pretty much every epic death metal band, the bass guitar is stupidly buried in the wall of noise. This release is absolutely recommended to long time fans and those who just can’t get enough new material. For those who are new to the band, I recommend starting with their last full length Majesty and Decay.