Picked from the review pile essentially because I thought the name sounded cool, I later learned that Necrofier are an American Black Metal band, from Houston, Texas no less. It is fair to say that I was surprised by this – not least of which because I really enjoyed this album. I’ve always really looked at US Black Metal like I’ve looked at Vegan sausages – I mean, I understand that it exists, but not why anyone would choose it. American Black Metal for me has always fallen into one of two camps – either so hopelessly derivative as to not hold any intrinsic merit of itself, or so far up its own backside that you can view it peering out from its own throat. Luckily, Necrofier are neither of these things.
Atmosphere. Two things that Russ Abott loves: a party with a happy one, and extreme metal that builds one. Russ and I agree on the latter point, at least. Necrofier are a crew that carefully crafts and builds an air of mystique and occult themes through some fantastic song-writing. The closest reference point is classic, icy Dissection, with the brittle axe-work and tasty minor key melodies rippling through the blackened dissonance, but there’s also the classic metal work here too. There are definite dashes of classic heavy metal here. Second track, and banger, “Darker Than The Night” takes as much from the guitar theatrics of messrs Denner and Shermann than it does from the late Mr Nodtveidt and co.
It’s not all pretty ditty melodies flying about though; there’s some pretty muscular riffing too which keeps things from being too simplistic. There is also a fairly filthy guitar tone which coats everything in a slightly scuzzy film; there is a kind of hot, sweaty southern sweat that coats the music alongside the rather more familiar icy six-string action. Special mention to must go to the drums here; there are some really fantastic turns, such as the rippling and bubbling fills during moody mid-album track, “Death Comes for us All”. When the main riff comes crashing through here, equal parts Bathory and Venom, I don’t care how grim and true you are, you’ll be doing well not to have your head nodding. This, as an album, is pretty much a textbook demonstration of how to marry the best in extreme metal heritage with traditional metal gonzo enjoyment.
The production is absolutely spot on too. It’s raw, primal and a bit ragged around the edges, as it should be – but without sounding weak, contrived or deliberately archaic. It’s also mixed to perfection too; the diving guitar solos taking pride of place when they occur, but never drowning out the atmosphere that the songs have built to. It’s a pretty short album – eight tracks in all, and the last essentially being a piece of soundscape rather than a song proper – but that really just adds to the mystery of the package. It’s great eve on the first couple of listens, but it’s a real grower.
Fantastic stuff.
(9/10 Chris Davison)
26/10/2021 at 8:50 pm
Great find and review. Disagree 110% with the generic dismissal of American black metal. Despite his unsavoriness, I would point out Nightbringer alone as awesome, ritualistic black metal that doesn’t sound like much else out there.