Incantation is an American death metal band formed by John McEntee and Paul Ledney in 1989. Despite the band's members currently residing in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Incantation are considered leaders in the New York City death metal scene along with Suffocation, Mortician and Immolation. To date, the band has released twelve full-length albums, two live albums, four EPs, two singles, three split-EPs, one DVD, and three demos. Their most recent album, Unholy Deification, was released through Relapse Records in August 2023. The band have maintained a significant cult following and underground popularity since the '90s, and are considered to be highly influential on a range of later death metal bands including Dead Congregation, Grave Miasma, and Portal, who are often described as "cavernous death metal". Incantation's lyrical content frequently draws on anti-Christian, Satanic, and occult themes. Musically, the band is known for combining widely varied tempos into their music, often employing slow and down-tuned passages, similar to the death-doom style of bands like Autopsy.
The band has seen many lineup changes in their 35-year history.