Necrot is a death metal band from Oakland, California who formed in 2011. “Lifeless Birth” is their third full-length album; they have also released three demos and a compilation.
“Lifeless Birth” is a filthy album that takes the best elements of death metal and runs with them. Simply put, this is a fun album. Fun? Whaaaaat? Can we have fun in death metal? Of course we can. This is one of those albums where every track is solid--from beginning to end this album is an absolute blast. That isn’t to say this isn’t a serious release by a band who isn’t serious. On the contrary, “Lifeless Birth”, and Necrot themselves, are deadly serious. But they also clearly love their chosen style of play and they let the listener know that.
Yes, this is an absolute pummeling album with non stop brutality. But it is also melodic and catchy as hell. The magic of the album is that it incorporates these two “scary” words so well into their ode to old school death metal without missing a beat that there isn’t any time to complain as I’m too busy headbanging like it is 1987.
The band knows when to go full speed ahead and goes to pull back slightly to add little details and intricacies. Check out the huge groovy riffs that open “Cut The Cord,” that lead to a thrash style attack. The riffs are subtle in their growth, allowing the lead guitar to add its own layers at 2:08 and 4:52, which hit right after the catchy chorus of “Cut The Cord!” being growled out like the end of the world.
Before I had time to get some icy hot for my neck, the pulverizing riffs of the album’s title track gave me whiplash in under 30 seconds. The bass is particularly potent here, a deep rumble that is the audio equivalent of being ran over by a train.
By the time the halfway mark hits, the riffs lay on top of each other for a meaty, thick section that just goes harder by the second, up until the blazing, face ripping solo rears its monstrous head. The song comes out of the solo without missing a beat while adding in some very killer jams up until the very last second.
As the name might imply, “Winds Of Hell” is a disturbing, hellish landscape of a song that puts a huge smile on my face because of all the old school goodness that constantly piledrives me. At the halfway point, the band switches gears for more intricate riffs..and just keeps throwing them out over and over again. It is near maddening but gong crazy never sounded so goddamn great.
The album finishes with the nearly nine minute song “The Curse,” and I hope it's an indication of what the future holds for the band. The longer song structure really allows the band to flesh out its sound. Despite the length, the song remains constantly fresh, exciting, and never once allows for any lulls or unnecessary parts, which is how the album is as a whole in the first place.
This song has a lot of twists and turns; just when it doesn’t seem like it can get more heavy, it does. When there just doesn't seem to be any ounce of melody, it pops up out of the grime. A perfect way to end a great album.
Necrot's “Lifeless Birth” is one hell of a ride, a uncompromising album that isn’t afraid to give the OSDM worship some progression even while being such a passionate example of the power and energy of true death metal.
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