Massacre - Necrolution

I doubt anyone reading this needs an intro but just in case your were born a few days ago and very quickly learned to read, Massacre are an utterly legendary death metal band, who formed in 1984.

The band has come and gone over the years but “Necrolution,” marks their fifth full-length album but they have also released a ton of demos, EPs, compilations and live albums. 

They returned once more in 2021 with their “Resurgence” album. Not wasting any time, the band is now unleashing “Necrolution.”

The influential vocalist Kam Lee is once again at the helm—and he still sounds violent as he'll.  

Guitarists Rogga Johansson and Jonny Pettersson also return. Hopefully I don't have to explain who they are but both of them are in a thousand bands but most notably Paganizer (Johansson) and Wombbath (Pettersson).

Bassist Mike Borders (Ravaged by the Yeti) returns as well and his massive rhythm machine is joined by their new drummer Jon Rudin (Just Before Dawn, among others).

That's quite the pedigree–one that generates certain expectations. Does “Necrolution,” meet those expectations?  I'd say, for the most part, yes. Is this album an instant classic? No but it is a strong statement that the band still has much to say and plenty of gas in their tank.

It has that classic OSDM sound: songs that get straight to the point and focus on riffs and powerful rhythms.  Slick leads, a ton of double bass, and mountains of groove. The production sounds pretty close to the style of the original scene but is louder and not as thin. Some might argue that takes from any potential raw power but this album has plenty of that to spare.

The songs aren't caveman level simple but they are also definitely not complicated. Ultimately, the band finds a balance between the two styles.

“Fear of the Unknown,” begins the album with leads that up the urgency, just before Lee goes for the throat. The song is short, fast and wastes zero time bringing out death fucking metal.  The middle part of the song injects riffs that are both dense and groovy.

I find the album is at its best with a slower tempo, as evident with “Ritual of the Abyss.”  The slower pace adds a disturbing, horrific element to their music that seems to be lack at times when they speed up. With that being said, the song does offer faster moments that act as brutal bridges to the slower more mid-paced sections.

“The Colour Out of Space,” is one of the best songs on the album. The guitar tone is extra caustic. The lead guitar Stands out as well, peppering the song with a surprisingly decent amount of atmosphere.

“Shriek of the Castle Freak,” is a short song that showcases how much fun the band can't have when they just let themselves go.  The riffs are nonstop pummeling.

“Shroud of Shadows” leans further into a doomy tempo, Serving up A haunted slice of atmosphere but also, Especially near the end, one that is surprisingly catchy.

“Ad Infinitum: The Final Hour,” is a solid ending song. The tempo varies throughout, the band comfortably taking in a slow kill before just going all out.

Ultimately, Massacre’s “Necrolution,” probably won't pull anyone over to the extreme side of the fence but if you're a fan of death metal, this is a solid album to dive into.