Album Review: Necrophobic - Mirror Black
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
2018’s ‘Mark of the Necrogram’ was a welcome return of the black metal legends. Their eighth long player marked the return not only of vocalist Anders Strokirk for his first outing since 1993’s debut The Noctural Silence but also saw former guitarists Sebastian Ramstedt and Johan Bergebäck rejoin forces with founder member and drummer Joakim Sterner and bassist Alex Friberg. The album was rightly critically acclaimed, a ferocious mix of harrowing evil refined riffage and blistering intensity.
This two-track single/E.P.
is the beginning of preparations for the new studio album ‘Dawn of the Damned’ and if that album follows the form of new track ‘Mirror Black’ then it should be a release that will demand full attention. ‘Mirror Black’ opens with a haunting, eerie intro, a cascade of riffs and a harrowing beat which quickly explodes into a full black metal maelstrom, shards of fierce lacerating guitar work echoing piercingly. Despite the chaos that erupts as the track develops, there is plenty of melody that underpins the track, with the duelling double guitars, the clever yet simple changes of pace and the snarling vocal delivery all combining majestically. There is something darkly beautiful about good black metal in full flight and Necrophobic demonstrate once more that they can still punch hard and deliver quality, nearly two decades since their blackened inception. ‘Mirror Black’ is backed by a live lockdown recording of the classic ‘Darkside’, which retains all its haunting and sinister properties.
For those who are partial to the blackened darkness, then this release will whet the appetite. The band commented, “we look forward to the beginning of the campaign for our new album ‘Dawn Of The Damned’ soon. We will initially have a single launched for the track ‘Mirror Black’. With this song we open the gate to the other side and start a journey through the pitch-black depths of death”. If it is anywhere near as good as ‘Mark of the Necrogram’, then it promises to be a stunning release.
