If I gave this record the same intro as every other death metal album from a Sweden band, I'm sure that they just might be overlooked as yet another group of young'uns trying their hands at creating some generic music that has been forged before in much better fashions, but I'm telling you now that Necrovation is arguably the best death metal band I've heard from Sweden (Other than possibly Tribulation and Miasmal). Their brand of death metal isn't just insert chord-driven riff here and add tremolos here with a barking vocalist and drummer who uses d-beats and blasts, but a pretty complex one that hits a lot of high notes with every different influence they use, splendidly incorporating sounds from bands that span the vast subgenre. Autopsy, Bolt Thrower, Dismember, Death, Gorguts, Asphyx, Tribulation, Morbus Chron and plenty of other notable acts are all heard in the songs that make up Necrovation's self-titled sophomore, though you could never really consider the band's music as a whole to be reminiscent of any one band because they are that damn good.
The first song "Necrovorous Insurrection" will take away any doubts that anyone who skeptically listens to this record may have had with its tremendous tremolo riffing and mix of punk-oriented riffs and thrashy headbangers. But if I had to discuss every song in depth we could be here a while as every track on "Necrovation" stands out. "Dark Lead Dead" conveys the title brilliantly as it mesmerizes the listener with psychedelic leads that course through the music constantly and randomly and the dark melodies that were made to send chills down the spine. "Pulse of Towering Madness" mixes whispered vocals and all-out vile growls perfectly with the eerie melodies and doomy riffs for another memorable track that is sure to get plenty of rotation. "Commander of Remains" and "Ressurectionist" both up the "weird" and "strange" quality of the music due to a great usage of wah-wah passages, eclectic riffing and sinister melodies that would make any fan of Gorguts, Demilich or Funebre happy.
In addition to the stellar riffage and lead work on "Necrovation," it's impossible to leave out all of the other little nuances that make this record as terrific as it is. The vocals are filthy and stand out quite a bit when compared to their contemporaries in most other bands in Sweden, sounding like a mix of Joel Grind (Toxic Holocaust) and Robert Andersson (Morbus Chron) for a top-notch blend of bellowing madness and evil, savage-like vocals. The drumming is near flawless. There are so many tremendous fills throughout this album that it should inspire other drummers to forfeit their craft. The bassist's performance isn't entirely incredible, but there were quite a few moments where I found myself bobbing my head along to the thumping of the bass or my fingers tapping along with the catchy bassline. I really could go on for a while about Necrovation and their modern masterpiece which accomplishes the increasingly difficult task of proving that this style of music is far from dead, but I'd really rather just close my browser, seclude myself from interaction for a while and soak in the true magnificence of this record. Repeatedly.
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Highlights
"Necrovorous Insurrection"
"Pulse of Towering Madness"
"Ill Mouth Madness (The Many)"
Final Rating
4.6/5 or 92%.