Album Review: Necrophobic – Dawn of the Damned

Album Review: Necrophobic – Dawn of the Damned
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings

2018’s ‘Mark of the Necrogram’ saw a return to Necrophobic’s ideal fighting weight. The unholy reunion of vocalist Anders Strokirk to the band he had last been heard uttering black metal rites with in 1993, combined with the return of guitarists Sebastian Ramstedt and Johan Bergebäck alongside founder Joakim Sterner (drums) and bassist Alex Friberg led to an album of such ferocity and quality that I don’t think there was a better, more intense black metal album that year. Friberg moved on in 2019 after 12 years, replaced by new bassist Allan Lundholm, but despite that latest bump in the road, album number nine is more seductive that the preceding release.

Ramstedt’s return to the fold as chief songwriter is more than just noticeable, it’s evident from the opening riffs that this album is suffocatingly good. Those five years away from Necrophobic were not wasted; the material contained within ‘Dawn of the Damned’ strains like a pit bull to be unleashed.

Whilst one wonders what hallucinations Ramstedt experiences to conjure up such an intense and complex journey, at the same time, you can’t help but be excited and relieved that he has. Conceptually, ‘Dawn of the Damned’ pulls together experiences from the formative and experimental period of the band, the impact they had, the experiences that can only now be revisited. Combined with the reflections on irreversible decisions that life can demand, this is an album that needs more interaction and attention than its predecessor.

The atmospheric intro of ‘Alephion’ carves the gateway to 45 minutes of deliciously impactful and striking black metal. Echoing with haunting melody, horns from the deep sound and thick, drumbeats build magnificently before dramatically segueing into the ferocious onslaught of ‘Darkness Be My Guide’. All frenetic tremolo riffing, drum battery, shape shifting time changes and fear-inducing horror vocals. As explosive as it is, Necrophobic manage to encapsulate several time changes and melody levels, a Maiden-esque breakdown leading to the duel of guitars as the song races to its rapid conclusion.

The sheer quality and intensity of ‘Mirror Black’, the slower paced yet crushingly heavy ‘Tartarian Winds’ with its chilling guitar riffs echoing throughout and the sinister lingering which harries throughout the gargantuan ‘The Infernal Depths of Eternity’ all stand as explosive reminders of the muscular dynamism the band possesses, And yet there is a familiarity within the album which Ramstedt jokingly referred to as the black metal AC/DC. You want something dripping with jagged riffing, a black malevolence that hangs threateningly. In other words, you want Necrophobic to be Necrophobic.

But don’t for one second think this is a routine album. The explosive power of ‘The Shadows’ with its demonic lyrics is merely one of ten tracks that engulf you completely. ‘The Return of A Long Lost Soul’ is the perfect example of a band working in devilish harmony. With Destruction’s Schmier adding guest vocals on the thrashy closing ‘Devil’s Spawn Attack’, piling on more aggression and punishing dynamics, this is an album that will be reassuring for old time fans as well as instantly enticing for those who may just be discovering the Swedes. ‘Dawn of the Damned’ possesses no chinks in the armour.

The musicianship is mesmerising. The guitar work on this album is insane, completely over the top, unusually so for this genre but incredibly welcome, with soaring solos that spiral and weave throughout, whilst the drumming relentless and the vocals as harrowing as ever. Once more, Necrophobic collaborated with Fredrik Folkare of death metal icons Unleashed in the production of the album. With multiple dimensions approached and enveloped, ‘Dawn of the Damned’ is sonically incredible. Intoxicating, inspiring and full of passion, rarely do albums leave you as breathless as this.

Dawn of the Damned is released on 9th October via Century Media.