Pete Ponitkoff has appeared in and contributed to Disposable Underground many times, and below he’s volunteered to do a review of two new tracks that have been released from the upcoming Immolation album Descent. Before he gets into that, he will discuss Immolation’s lyrical content and compare and contrast that with his faith.
Disclaimer: Out of deep respect for the reader and our community, these words are not only giving praise to one of the most brutal yet underrated bands of its genre, if not extreme music all together; this is also written from the perspective of a follower of Jesus Christ. Though I encourage you to read on, this article is not intended to shove Jesus Christ disrespectfully down your throat; this disclaimer serves as a courtesy which you have been long overdue.
Still here? Sweeeeet! Thank you!
First, cheers to Robert Vigna, Ross Dolan, Steve Shalaty, and Alex Bouks on the 12th studio album Descent, accompanied by the 21st anniversary of Harnessing Ruin, and to the Immolation alumni Alex Hernandez, Thomas Wilkinson, Dave Wilkinson, Craig Smilowski, Neal Boback, and Bill Taylor for their contributions to Immolation’s brutality and domination for the last 37 sick and savage years.
Into Everlasting Fire
Thankfully, we have historical literature like Into Everlasting Fire: The Official History of Immolation, written by one Kevin Stewart-Panko. If you have not purchased Into Everlasting Fire, you’re missing out. I can write an article on this book alone and I’m forcing myself to keep this short. Kevin knocked this one out of the park. I could’ve finished reading this book in one day and had to force myself on several occasions to put the book down to be present for my family.
One thing that became apparent after reading the book: I showed up late to the Immolation party. I had heard Immolation’s name throughout the early ’90s, never followed up, and dismissed them as a “-tion” band. Okay, very stupidly dismissed them. It wasn’t until late 1994 and 1995 where I became more familiar with so many great bands at the time. To give an idea of the musical landscape back then, Machine Head had released their demo and Burn My Eyes, Disrupt had released Unrest, and we had Fiesta Grande #3 at 924 Gilman. What an incredible time to be alive.
A friend approached me with a copy of Immolation’s Dawn of Possession. I told him I never heard of it and he told me I needed to fix myself and catch up with the rest of the world, except it wasn’t said so politely. Regardless, he was correct.
It was about this time I had met Chris Reifert (of Abscess) through Michael Vinatieri (of Capitalist Casualties). Abscess was putting out Urine Junkies; again, the music landscape for that period of time, so incredible. An amazing opportunity came about where I got to travel with Chris, Danny Coralles, Clint Bower, and Freeway down to L.A. when Abscess and Immolation co-headlined the Showcase Theatre in Corona, California. On this trip I got to hear Sigh for the first time and Immortal Fate’s epic album Beautiful. (If you can find a copy of this album, don’t let it slip out of your hands.)
As we arrived and checked into the motel, we started enjoying a few adult beverages when we ran into Robert and Ross. As everyone was catching up since the last time they’d seen each other, I caught a glimpse of the quality of the hard working and solid people whose company I was in. A beverage was offered to Ross and Robert. They politely and graciously declined. It was done in such a manner that it respectfully and confidently displayed their choices and how they were raised to conduct themselves. These gents weren’t some trying-to-be-cool guys who recently altered their diet and were abstaining from whatever and used the opportunity of someone’s generous offer as a platform to boast about their newly adopted life choice. Nor did they go into a complete meltdown like (loosely quoting the comedian Mickey Bell) a church Karen with their head spinning around. Instead these men displayed strength, character, class, and sophistication, which has stayed in the forefront of my memories of Immolation, some 30-plus years later. I am only echoing what has already been said in Into Everlasting Fire.
That night I witnessed Abscess completely destroy. Just own it. Next I saw Immolation conduct business and I painfully regretted ever dismissing them. That night they became one of my favorites, period.
Some years later, just short of my 33rd birthday, I received a call from Chris Reifert. Turns out Abscess couldn’t play the Immolation/Impaled show. (I think Six Feet Under was on the bill also.) So Benümb [Pete’s band at the time] gets to open for Immolation and Impaled. The show was sick and of course Immolation destroyed it, even at the time as a three piece. That night I witnessed a bit of their true conviction.
I was like a fly on the wall for a conversation they had with a drummer from another band (no names mentioned), who claimed he didn’t have an opinion of his band’s lyrics because he couldn’t understand what his vocalist was saying. I forgot which of the Immolation dudes it was, but he called out said drummer, saying in effect that pretending you don’t know what your vocalist is saying doesn’t hold you any less accountable. I wish I could say my walk with Jesus always held that much conviction.
To describe the impact which Immolation has had on me to this day opens up like this. I have failed to admit that I began my walk with Jesus Christ in 2002. Within the last 10 years I have desired to play in a project which was Christ centered. I did not just want to repeat the same praise and worship songs with powerviolence, death metal, or grind vocals. I wanted to belt out words which Ross or Robert would dictate if they were followers of Christ, which in my opinion isn’t distant in some way from what they’ve been doing for the last 37 years. (Currently I have been blessed with the opportunity to play in a Christ-driven grind and death project, Arterial Atrophy. We hope not to let you all down.)
Lyrics and Scripture
To state the obvious, Immolation’s lyrical message isn’t some isolated opinion, but one of many voices with a like-minded world view. I have noticed some parallels between the worldview found in some of Immolation’s messages and what Jesus Christ taught.
In Into Everlasting Fire, Ross Dolan is quoted as saying, “We never bought into the religious thing. We were never religious. We were raised Catholic, but nobody gave a shit about that; everybody thought it was a joke.” As a follower of Jesus Christ, I have no argument. Practicing religion is merely an adherence to burdensome rules and redundant rituals; focusing on works and religious performance, which ultimately leads to dissent, which Ross so well expressed.
What Christianity actually is (not what mankind has twisted it into) is an individual relationship with Jesus Christ, initiated by repentance and lived through ongoing communication and personal connection with God, based on acceptance of grace and faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Our salvation lies in what Jesus Christ did on the cross, not by us jumping through hoops. Salvation isn’t determined by religious performance, redundant rituals, Hail Marys, holy water, baptism, or how many times you can cross yourself. Your salvation is not determined by any church, any priest, pastor, father, and not by your catechism teacher, sister Mary Elephant, or some church Karen. Salvation does not come from having uniformity with the other Christians. At the end of the day, Christians are broken people, sinners saved by God’s grace. Any good that Christians have done in this world is a result of the relationship with Christ and what Christ did for us, not the other way around. Don’t count on mankind to offer a perfect example of a Christian or a perfect anything for that matter. Christ is the only example of what Christians should strive to be.
Ross says in Into Everlasting Fire, “We took religious texts, words from the Bible and a lot of their language and kind of used that to point out, ‘Well, if you say this, then why that? If you say that, then why this? Why is the world the way it is?'”
These are legitimate ideas and questions. This is the most honest and true example which embodies the definition the term “wrestling with God.” Meaning, struggling with faith, doubt, and one’s belief. This doesn’t just take place with non-believers but believers as well.
My opinion, for what it’s worth: I believe tracks like “Christ’s Cage” [from Immolation’s Here In After] and “Those Left Behind” [from Dawn of Possession] exemplify that exact struggle and they could easily translate as a lyrical story line in a gospel melody of redemption, belted out by such greats as Rance Allen and Willie Banks.
This led to a (yet another) great conversation I had with Jason Borton (of Ripping Remains). Jason was quick to point out that this type of thinking was similar to the way the Bereans thought (see Acts 17:10-15). Bereans were devote Jews from modern-day Greece who were eager to learn, yet had a willingness to examine scriptures daily to verify the teaching of the Apostle Paul. After checking the Good Book and the Internet, I totally agree with Jason.
The Bereans’ approach serves as a model for Christians today, which emphasizes personal study and verification of Biblical teaching. Kevin articulates with surgical precision that with the album Dawn of Possession, “what Immolation conveys is more a disappointment in what religion is/was supposed to be, about how the intent and purpose of faith have been co-opted and corrupted.” In the Bible there was someone who was also disappointed with what religion is vs. what it was supposed to be and called out and slug checked some real hyper-religious pieces of work for hypocrisy (Matthew 23:27-28), for legalism (Matthew 23:4), for judgmental attitude (Matthew 7:1-5), and for misinterpretation of scripture (Matthew 15:14). You might have heard about him; his name is Jesus Christ, who also had a few things to say about church leaders who cause the children to stumble (Mark 9:42) and who cause others to stumble (Mark 17:1-2), yet showed great mercy upon the non-believer (1 Timothy 1:16).
Kevin quotes the last line in the track “Into Everlasting Fire”: “Can’t you see it’s Satan’s world?” I will finish this section like I began and say I have no argument. As broken as this world is, who else is the slumlord? I say this all not by talking down from some throne of religious superiority but as someone who is broken and struggles with his own faults, starting with a grimy toilet of a mouth. Amen? Amen!
Descent
Jeff Tandy describes Descent’s 10 tracks as Immolation continuing “their journey away from the rejection of Catholicism and further into Gnostic foreboding. Is Is Earth actually Hell? Is there any path to salvation?”
Great questions. I viewed the videos for “Adversary” and “Attrition” and tracked down lyrics to both songs. Mr. Tandy’s description seems pretty much on point. The lyrics for “Adversary” state, “Faith is the downfall of man / Truth is the enemy of God.” I would have to say this is a pretty effective middle finger and is sure to create some butt hurt with some religious types, and that’s okay. These same people need reminders that religion has been a root of so much hate, conflict, wars, and the evil in this world. This anti-God worldview is the byproduct of all of these issues. As teachers of God’s word, one must ask themselves, are we part of the problem, which pushes people to subscribe to this worldview through our own arrogance and self service?
Immolation “Adversary” music video
Immolation “Attrition” music video
I only can repeat what has already been said about Immolation: brutal, technical, intelligent, heavy, punishing. You can confidently sit back and listen to the intricate and savage soundscape unfold. First question that comes to mind: how has Ross maintained his voice after 37-plus years? Probably the absence of alcohol, cigarettes, and other toxins helped out.
For this old guy, seeing Immolation live is like watching Neurosis live. I purchase my favorite IPA and find a comfortable place to sit or stand and witness the spectacle. I can’t wait to again see Immolation live.
Enough said; if you’re reading this, put it down. Go to nuclearblast.com and preorder Descent.
Conclusion
I will conclude by restating an obvious fact: I know Ross Dolan and Robert Vigna are not the only solid people out there who are doing the right thing, calling out what’s just plain wrong in the church and in the world, who don’t walk with Christ but sure live like they do and frankly do a better job in some ways than some of us who do walk with Christ (myself included). To you folks who that applies to, I say this: don’t allow some hyper-religious arrogant piece of work have any influence or say over your relationship with God. You don’t need permission from anyone. You don’t have to agree with or believe what I am saying. But I encourage you to do your own research. Talk to someone you know and trust on the matter. If for whatever reason you want to reach to me, here’s my Facebook page. I don’t know everything but will do my best to get you an answer, as some things can’t be answered. Thank you.
Congratulations to Immolation on Descent! Stay safe on the road! Stay in the good fight. ■
Where to Get Descent
The album is up for preorder from Nuclear Blast on CD, LP, and digital. It comes out April 10, 2026.
Photo: Stephanie Gentry
