Necrophobic “Dawn of the Damned” Album Review
On October 9th, Necrophobic will release their new album Dawn of the Damned. For three decades, Necrophobic has been delivering raw Swedish black metal, being one of the most influential bands in the genre. With all of the chaos happening in the world, it’s nice to receive a new album from an awesome band — let alone an album that kicks ass!
Dawn of the Damned sounds like a typical Necrophobic album. They keep their core heavy yet melodic sound. There are many solid songs on the album, which we will mention later. While I personally don’t think their last few albums have been as sinister as their masterpiece The Nocturnal Silence, Dawn of the Damned is still an album that will be worshipped by Necrophobic fans.
The album starts with the intro “Aphelion.” The intro absolutely slays — while it’s a simple intro, the atmosphere is dark enough to prepare the listener for the chaos.
The intro leads into “Darkness Be My Guide.” It’s an absolute massacre; inhuman drumming and fast riffing meet Anders Strokirk’s iconic vocals, resulting in one of the most provoking songs on the album. One of the most dynamic qualities about this album is the guitarwork. Some of the solos are absolutely insane, such as the one on this album. And these aren’t typical extreme metal solos, either; you can tell Necrophobic used a lot of traditional heavy metal soloing in this album. Overall, this is the best way to open up the album.
Watch Necrophobic “Mirror Black:”
One of the singles already released is “Mirror Black.” This song starts with a catchy intro mixed with some squealing effects (which are a little annoying). But it doesn’t take long for the song to kick in. Rapid drumming sets the stage for heavy and melodic guitar playing, giving this song serious Dissection vibes. I feel like the solo toward the middle could have been a little stronger, but otherwise this song is awesome!
The heaviness continues with the next track, “Tartarian Winds.” It has a similar atmosphere as the last song, except this one is more forceful. I prefer the guitars in this track. The riffing and soloing is more striking and stands out. It’s not a riffy song, but the guitars are complex and the playing is better than the last song.
The second single released is “The Infernal Depths of Eternity” and this is definitely one of their stronger songs. The almost tranquil guitar into reminds me of something I would hear of The Nocturnal Silence album. Every aspect about this song is amazing — the exceptional guitar playing, the fast drumming, and the perfect blend of brutality in a melancholy atmosphere that Swedish bands are so good at capturing.
The title track is one of my favorite songs on the album. It’s a very dark track, embodying serious Noctural Silence vibes. A simple guitar intro leads into an earthquake of growls and drumming. But what I really like is how distinct the song is. The song structure is unique; it doesn’t follow the simple verse-chorus-verse formula and no song parts are truly defined. Dexterous solos also pop up throughout the song, keeping the listener engaged. A song like this proves why Necrophobic has kept their legacy for 30 years. No matter how many albums they release, they still write masterpieces such as this song.
The next song, “The Shadows,” is a little dull. It doesn’t convey the same energy that the other songs hold. The song isn’t total trash and it’s not a terrible song. There’s just nothing really special about this track. Even the solo is a little weak. It’s just a filler track and provides a backbone that leads to the next song (that is way better).
Another song that’s worth a mention is “As the Fire Burns.” It absolutely slays; rather than the melodic Dissection-inspired intros we’ve heard so far, Necrophobic cuts right into the song with insane riffing and blast beat drumming. Every component of the song is intoxicating, but I really like the drumming. From swift blast beats to stomping-style drumming, you hear a lot of diversity in the rhythm section. But we shouldn’t forget the guitars. The guitarwork is some of the most impressive on this track; beyond the complexity of the solos, the guitars are just so well-written and diverse. This is by one some of the best guitarwork that Necrophobic has done. Guitarists Sebastian Ramstedt and Johan Bergebäck definitely reached their pinnacle for this album.
The atmosphere alters with the next song “The Return of the Long Last Soul.” Rather than the insanity we heard with the last few songs, this song is slower and more melodic. The beginning is off-putting; the intro puts heavy emphasis on guitar, but the guitar playing is a little odd and doesn’t pull the listener in. But when you give the song a chance, it definitely gets better. It slowly builds up, provoking the listener with faster drumming and roaring vocals. With some melodic parts and dexterous solos thrown in, the song is definitely unpredictable. Though the song does revive itself toward the end, it’s definitely not the best song on the album.
The album ends on a much better note. “Devil’s Spawn Attack” is an abolishing track. It opens with a catchy riff and steady drumming, only to morph into total chaos. The riffing and drumming get faster as you hear high-pitched screaming. The rest of the song is powerful enough to split your skull, with the perfect amount of shredding added to the mix. At three minutes, this is one of the shortest songs on the album but it’s also one of the most extreme. On top of that, this song features Destruction’s Schmier! How awesome!
After 30 years, Necrophobic has preserved their position as one of the most influential extreme metal bands to come out of Sweden. Every album they make, including Dawn of the Damned, upholds their sound while they throw in new influences and surprise fans. Most of the songs on this album are good, though there are a couple of weak ones. In addition, no Necrophobic album will ever top The Nocturnal Silence. But Necrophobic fans will definitely love Dawn of the Damned. And at this point, any new album release is a nice gift in a world where we have no live shows.
Rating: 8/10
Best songs:
“Dawn of the Damned”
“As the Fire Burns”
“Devil’s Spawn Attack”
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