Crossing the seven deadly sins with the previous instalment, the band now concentrate on the polemics regarding godly resurrections, and how viable they are in our uncertain virus-ridden reality. Well, when the album reviewed here came out, the corona plague wasn’t even on conspiratory papers yet, but it was really great to hear the Italian veteranos kicking on all fours with vitality to spare.
Yep, no kidding, this is their most vehement exposition since the 2006 outing “100% Hell”, a classic thrash effort full to the brim with fervor and malice, despite the hefty doomy/gothic aspirations of the closing title-track. No, those simply can’t ma(t)ter here, what with some of the most brutal material the guys have put their signatures under provided earlier in the form of “The Return of the Undead” and “The Crypt of Nyarlathotep”, two no-bars-held necro... sorry, proto-death lashers capable of shattering walls of crypts and tombs with ease. Diversification insertions are, needless to add, provided, ever since “Draculea” (2007) the band seem to find more space for those, but their presence only enhances the fervent proceedings, with both the spacey progressiver “The Kings of Rome” and the minimalistic quasi-doomster “The Triumph of Pain” nicely fitting into the hyper-active melee, the expansion process also adding the excellent technical psychedelic shredder “The Order of Baphomet” to the foray, which tussles with the more ambitious complex, also more melodic, musings on “The Revenge of the Witches” for the highlight. More witches’ tales spread around with “The Witches of Salem” as well, a nice varied proposition which manages to combine the dominant all-out thrash assault with alluring atmospheric antitheses.
Peso, Flegias and Co. mean business here, and this slab is a shining example of that, the guys not taking too many chances with their dark extreme art, sticking to their guns with stern vigilance, not letting the variegated condiments run rampant. Nothing tramples over the vintage Necrodeath sound in this case, the fans should be happy with what’s been offered: straight-forward bash, echoes of death, mild psychedelic excursions, more technical walkabouts, doomy gloom… exactly what the doctor ordered, the recipe cooked at one of the best pharmacies on the planet, guaranteed to keep its consumers healthy and strong until the next depleting showdown.
Said showdown materialized a year later as a re-mastered version of the band’s sophomore “Fragments of Insanity”, with “de” added to the title as a de… sorry, differentiation gesture. No complaints there, with Flegias given a chance to rend his vocal cords at will on an old material, the latter only marginally modified music-wise, the man consolidating his position as the band’s staple singer. The “Neraka” EP is another perfectly acceptable entry into the guys’ discography, vicious vitriolic old school thrash with a cover of Dead Kennedys’ “California Uber Alles” and a live rendition of “Flames of Malignance” from the comeback stint “Mater of All Evil” rounding the attractive package. The Necrodeath horde show no signs of slowing down, that’s for certain; their ways of resurrecting both deities and demons time-proven, with just the right doze of cosmetic alterations to keep the fanbase hooked.
Sample: youtube.com/watch?v=-UUJuS9MEYw&t=242s
