Asphyx

Necroceros

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Genre: Death Metal.
Released: 22/01/2021
Via Century Media

Album Review: Asphyx – Necroceros

Dutch death metal legends Asphyx are set to release their first album since 2016 titled ‘Necroceros’. Fans have been eagerly awaiting new music from the band, and now the wait is over. An extremely heavy and brutal record will leave fans eager to mosh to their heart’s content.

Up first we have ‘The Sole Cure Is Death’. A fast-paced death metal song to kick the album off as they mean to continue. From killer riffs to bullet-like blast beats, the song has it all. Asphyx isn’t planning on easing you in and go full throttle from the get-go. An awesome song to start! Following on from that we are treated to ‘Molten Black Earth’. A slower tempo doesn’t mean you can’t be heavy and this song proves that. Martin’s vocals sound more brutal than ever before. It’s clear to see the band haven’t missed a beat.

Continuing down the album, ‘Mount Skull’ will have your head banging in time with the brutal drumming from Stefan. The underline message of death and destruction is nothing short of what you expect from the Dutch group. Unfortunately, ‘Knights Templar Stand’ leaves a lot to be desired. The song features a blistering assault of a chord progression yet seems very basic. The song feels like a drop-off from what you’ve heard up until now.

Luckily, Asphyx gets right back to it with ‘Three Years Of Famine’. A brutal doom sound accompanied by beautifully crafted melodies allow this song to shine. A standout song from the album. This is a must listen to song for any doom metal fans out there! In contrast to the previous song, ‘Botox Implosion’ is a thrashy assault of riffs and percussion. An intense song throughout that is sure to tear up any venue it’s played in.

Next up we have ‘In Blazing Oceans’. A fairly tame song comparatively. Nothing stands out for me in this one. A bit of a let down following on from two of the best songs from the album. ‘The Nameless Elite’ on the other hand is a monster of a song! The sudden burst of energetic chaos mixed with intense riffs throughout brings the album back on track once again.

Suddenly you find yourself at the penultimate song in ‘Yield Or Die’. A melodic yet brutal song comes out of nowhere and kills it. A powerful vocal performance accompanied by a heavy as hell rhythm sets the album up for a glorious ending. After the dust settles and death has taken its toll, we finally find ourselves at the title track of the album. ‘Necroceros’ is a doom metal masterpiece. If there was ever a song fit for the Apocalypse, this is it! It’s safe to say the band saved the best for last and it closes the album out perfectly.

Asphyx continues to release some of the best music out there in their genre and this album is no exception. A few moments to forget from the album are completely obliterated by the quality of the rest of it. The 5 year wait for a new album was worth it. Overall I’d recommend this album to anyone who is a fan of death or doom metal. You will not regret it.