NECROBLASPHEME : DESTINATION: NULLE PART
Agonia Records
France’s Necroblaspheme have had a run of bad luck since their formation in 2001, losing band members and eventually their label, which left them stranded when it filed for bankruptcy. However, things are looking up for this aggressive and mercilessly heavy five piece; having found a new home with Agonia, they have unleashed a highly accomplished and complex second full-length in the form of “Destination: Nulle Part”.
A bold and at times difficult beast, “Destination” sees the band employ a relentlessly blasting death metal style, packed with temporal trickiness, switches in direction, chugging slabs of riffage and a propensity for playful experimentation. Above all, the album is noticeably modern, although its component parts are instantly recognisable, from the cacophonous, machinegun drumming to the harsh, deep growl of Yann’s demonic, imposing vocals. What marks this out as a progression from old school American and Scandinavian death metal are the sharp, polished guitar tones and the downtuned swagger, most prominent on closer “Nameless”. Making something so urban and semi-futuristic out of classic elements is a statement on the part of Necroblaspheme that today’s music can be just as intimidating, crushing and awe-inspiring as that of the genre’s founders.
A lot of things make this album interesting from start to finish; as mentioned, Necroblaspheme do not shy away from toying with tempos, creating moments of unpredictability and demanding a technical skill which the band members are more than willing to display. There is also a lot of melody on this album, which, when combined with the sheer heaviness of most of the passages, makes for a huge sound with plenty of impact, particularly on the moody, driving “Sorry For Us”. One criticism may be the similarity of the compositions; the album as a whole is meant to batter the listener into submission, but moments where the guitars are given space away from the blasting to breathe and explore different tones are too rare, and sometimes the tracks segue together.
Still, the agility of the musicians, the creativity of their song structuring and the ambitious, fearless aura of this album are undeniably impressive, and hints at more quality to be discovered within the burgeoning French scene. This is a powerful and competent album which will appeal to anyone who is interested in what death metal in the 21st century has the potential to sound like.
70/100
