NECROPHOBIC: Dawn Of The Damned (BLACK METAL): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Old backpacker of the Swedish death-black born at the end of the eighties, Necrophobic has been dispensing his violent music mixed with dark atmospheres for four decades. His last album "Mark of the Necrogram" was well received in the columns of Music Waves. Since then, the bassist (Alexander Friberg) has left his place to Allan Lundholm (Interment).

For this new production, "Dawn of the Damned", the band offers a vision of apocalypse with a rough sound adorned with troubling harmonies. The record combines murderous riffs, dark atmospheres and a stripped harmonic coating. The omnipresent melodies, either stifling or more limpid, bring a real breath of fresh air. They are sometimes almost hallucinatory ('Aphelion'), as on 'Spectral Sorrows' from Edge Of Sanity, sometimes with warmer colors ('The Return of a Long Lost Soul'), sometimes icy ('Mirror Black', 'As the Fire Burns').

'Darkness Be My Guide' is punctuated with quick trills, 'Tartarian Winds' pours into the almost religious lyricism and 'The Infernal Depths of Eternity', whose acoustic introduction is worthy of James Murphy ('In The House In A Heartbeat'), projects its harmonies in cinemascope. The multi-faceted guitar completes the melodies with beautiful arpeggios ('Dawn Of The Damned', 'As the Fire Burns'), a simple and sharp melody ('Devil's Spawn Attack') or with riffs worthy of Iron Maiden ('The Shadows'). The dark and frightening moods are supported by a precise rhythmic that however lacks blasts or variations so that the melody can deliver its full potential.

"Dawn Of The Damned" is a good album thanks to consistent melodies but it leaves an impression of half-measure compared to other productions of the genre... A kind of gore B-series film that is scary on the surface, but more entertaining than really terrifying. - Official website

NECROPHOBIC

DAWN OF THE DAMNED

CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS

BLACK METAL