Bandcamp: https://obliteration.bandcamp.com/album/nekropsalms
WOW, what a jump in terms of approach! Having just reviewed Perpetual Decay and coming to Nekropsalms, I can immediately know the band has sat down and focussed on their entire sound. This is what I call a good evolution, is this how Obliteration hold a candle to Autopsy? Perhaps, but the path seems to be pretty clear here. The album opens with “Ingesting Death” which immediately shocks you if you know the band beforehand at all. A slightly matured approach to death metal with insane drumming!
The focus is on the songwriting, atmosphere and the all-colliding-synergy. The band manage to weave themselves with a sense of heaviness while adding their own energy into the execution. I guess this is what it is, a fantastic execution backed by excellent production. Autopsy fans will flock to this like moth to flame. Track #2 “Catacombs of Horror” is essentially old school death metal worship perfectly! I saw Autopsy live in Glasgow in 2017 and it was one of the best experiences of my life. Their slow methodic way of imputing atmosphere with the bass adding another dimension is what this album is all about.
I would not compare their earlier full length or the EP prior. Obliteration has managed to completely surprise me here because now I know the background of these guys, it’s firmly rooted in the right place. Now comes the question, is this a clone? Is this a better band? Can Obliteration move beyond? These are important questions, yes, but frankly it doesn’t really matter to me when they’re writing such fantastic dense layers of heaviness coupled with aggression. I am enjoying this release a lot more than the last one only because of the direction in which the sound has evolved. The musicians themselves seem to be more comfortable than just riding off into the sunset playing fast and heavy.
If you’re brand new to this record just play Track #4 “The Spawn Of A Dying Kind” and you don’t even need this review, you’ll know what you need to know and will rewind to Track #1 automatically. Quite a treat listening to this and I wish I could be more objective here but the band has just scratched the itch of the sound which we’ve all come to love and adore.
