A new year and a new chance to recommend some damn good music whilst the world collapses around us all. I'm doing something a bit different this year (for now) and going to focus on doing one main review which will then be followed by shorter recommendations for albums that came out during the month with recommended tracks as well so that way I can throw out some awesome metal without only doing like 2 album reviews in a month.
At first I was thinking I'd make this a monthly thing but I think every couple of weeks should work better depending on how much music I can get through and find for you guys. The main review will be my favourite choice of the time and today we're going with a big death metal release with Asphyx's 'Necroceros'. What are the other 4 recommended albums? You'll know once I'm done with this review first.
Anyone into their death metal should know all about Asphyx as they've been plying their trade since 1987 and have released a bunch of killer albums in the years since including 1992's fantastic 'Last One on Earth' which could go up against any of the early records by Death, and even their previous effort with 2016's 'Incoming Death' which definitely set a high bar for this new album as far as modern death metal goes.
'Necroceros' is the band's 10th studio album and this time they've opted almost for a concept album but only really with the title track that details a world eating leviathan coming to swallow the planet and the epic artwork only adds to that sci-fi feel but this is definitely a varied album which can be strange to say for an almost pure death metal band. It gives me major vibes of Incantation's latest release that came out last year as that also combined the pure rage of death metal with the slow pacing of doom metal, although in Asphyx's case I do think that they space these moments out much better than Incantation did and it feels like a more memorable album because of it.
It almost has a something for everyone kind of vibe without losing that core death sound which is pretty impressive. For those looking for straight up death metal you can go with the opening track "The Sole Cure is Death" which expertly sets up the rest of the album by hitting you with a pure dose of adrenaline sounding like a more aggressive version of Possessed, or you can also go with the shortest and best named track "Botox Implosion" which is as violent and vile as its name suggests and once the world hopefully goes back to normal, I guarantee that this is the track that will have the much missed circle pits going mental.
There are just a ton of tracks here worth checking out with my favourites also including "Mount Skull" which offers a pretty perfect mix of death and doom with slow, foreboding riffs to begin with before sections of ripping speed and face melting solos appear as this is the track that most reminds me of that Incantation style. The best track for me was the epic "Three Years of Famine" which is the longest track on here at 7:38 and is unlike pretty much anything else on here and takes more inspiration from classic metal with some Maiden-esque solos and a melodic middle section that really reminded me of "To Live is To Die" as it had a bit of elegance to it. The vocals are tremendous throughout the album as well with Martin Van Drunen sounded like an even more aggressive Jeff Becerra from Possessed and I can't help but love it.
To really criticise anything on here would just be nitpicking on my end like how the second half doesn't hit as well as the first half but the first half was stellar so that was always gonna be difficult and the second half also has the title track and "Botox Implosion" to keep the whole thing as balanced as it can be. Really this is an all killer no filler album and might just be Asphyx's best since 1992 and that's saying something. If you like your death metal, this is one worth checking out and is my pick of the best of the year so far.
For fans of: Possessed, Incantation, Necrot
Tracks to check out: Botox Implosion, Necroceros, Mount Skull, Three Years of Famine
And now onto the shorter recommendations:
Nervosa - Perpetual Chaos
Honestly the story of the making of the album is just as interesting as the album itself as guitarist Prika Amaral was left as the only member in April 2020 when all the others left, and then managed to find 3 new members for bass, vocals, and drums as they all met for the first time in the recording sessions from the album. That could have ended up being a trainwreck if no one was on the same page but they managed to bang out a damn fine thrash album so well done to all of them. Who knows what they'll be able to do once they're more familiar with each other and personally, I can't wait to see the results.
If you're not into thrash then this probably won't change your mind but this is a solid as hell release with banger after banger coming through. It does run into some issues that most other thrash records do with some tracks blending together but there are enough highlights to recommend a look. Plus this is an all female band which is pretty damn rare for this genre and every member has a chance to show their stuff, particularly Eleni Nota who is tremendous on drums and vocalist Diva Satanica who reminded me of a much more aggressive Arch Enemy. Definitely worth a look.
For fans of: Arch Enemy, Annihilation, Sacred Reich
Tracks to check out: Venomous, Blood Eagle, Under Ruins
Frozen Soul - Crypt of Ice
Spoiler: There are another couple of death metal releases because I guess January is now the month of death metal. The difference with all the other albums on here is that they have a history I can go into, but with Texas band Frozen Soul, they've only been formed since 2018 and this is their debut record so it's nice to have something brand new to go into.
As far as the music goes it's pretty much standard death metal throughout but my god do some of these riffs just punch their way right to your very (Frozen) soul and hit you like the Titanic hit the iceberg. I do love that it has a theme of ice and cold throughout which is a pretty unique concept without it becoming a full on concept album so it's pretty cool (pun intended) in that regard. I'll stop with the ice jokes now I promise.
Anyway the album is a nice and brisk 39 minutes so it doesn't outstay it's welcome at all and whilst a couple of tracks end up kind of forgettable, there are enough big hitters to go back to again and again. hell, I've even bought the vinyl copy already. And remember, this is only their first album so this is impressive for a first effort and I'll be looking with a cold gaze to see how they fare in the future.......Sorry
For fans of: Gatecreeper, Necrot, Cannibal Corpse
Tracks to check out: Hand of Vengeance, Encased in Ice, Beat to Dust
Tribulation - Where the Gloom Becomes Sound
Not gonna lie, I almost put this as the feature album because it's so bloody good and even after multiple listens I feel like I need to digest it even more so who knows, maybe by the end of the year I'll end up liking this more than Asphyx.
I was a big fan of the band's 2018 release "Down Below" as it brought this gothic tone to metal that felt unique at the time and they've continued that here with another great release. I did manage to see them play live last year and can confirm that they most definitely back up their sound on the stage. It's been said that the band is essentially a more aggressive version of Ghost and whilst that is a pretty basic way to describe them, it's not far off as I can imagine most of these tracks being recorded in a haunted mansion at the top of a steep hill.
In terms of the tracks it's another case of all killer no filler with nothing standing out as band or even boring here, and as I say, I'm still listening to it over and over and finding new things to like. Can't wait til October when this one will really pop with the season.
For fans of: Ghost, Unto Others, Powerwolf
Tracks to Check Out: In Remembrance, Daughter of the Djinn, Funeral Pyre
Gatecreeper - An Unexpected Reality
I'm not sure if this is cheating because it's an EP, but fuck it, it's worth talking about. Gatecreeper are really coming into their own in the world of death metal with their 2019 release "Deserted" establishing them as a band to watch in the scene, and this new surprise EP shows that they have even more tricks up their sleeve.
The EP is a very short 17 minutes but they use that time in spectacular fashion for what may end up being the EP of the year. There are 8 tracks in total with the first 7 all being either just over or under a minute long as it just hits you with an absolute barrage of rifftastic tunes in such a short amount of time before hitting you with the final track "Emptiness" which I think I can safely say is the band's new magnum opus. I'm pretty sure this is the longest track the band has ever recorded at just over 11 minutes and it's an absolute belter to show that the band is ready for their next step in their own evolution with an epic track filled with doom-laden riffs, foreboding bass sections, melodic sections and a brilliant final 2 minute finale for the cherry on top. I've listened to it so many times and I just can't become tired of it.
I love the way they've made this EP and it just seems like a standout because of it. If you consider yourself a death metal fan then this is one you should check out immediately. I'm definitely getting the vinyl once it's released over here.
For fans of: Tomb Mold, Necrot, Blood Incantation
Tracks to check out: All of them
Thanks for reading today and let me know if there's any releases in February I shouldn't miss and let me know what other January metal albums were worth a look. I'll see next time I have more albums to recommend.
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