Album Review: Asphyx – Necroceros
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
It’s still the arse end of 2020 as I write this review. There has been blow after blow to the music industry, to its fans, the musicians and all associated with it. Life looks bleak. The one saving grace has been the constant stream of superb music that our metal heroes have produced.
Regardless of the existing situation, 2021 will be kicking off with a new one ripped right across it as the Dutch death metal bruisers Asphyx return with their latest album, ‘Necroceros’. Having regrouped and returned in 2007, the band pick up the pace once more with a skull crushingly heavy tenth album that would beast any virus that dared cross its path.
‘Necroceros’ explodes with a viciousness rarely seen in ‘The Sole Cure is Death’, the appropriately titled opening track that sees the first two minutes bludgeon and batter its way before a brief slower doom-soaked passage provides a minor breather that is cruelly swept away in a maelstrom of punishing riffage. Rivalling their previous works for heaviness and intensity, the band’s current incarnation, vocalist Martin van Drunen, guitarist and chief songwriter Paul Baayens, bassist Alwin Zuur and drummer Stefan Hüskens are on immense form. The grinding power of ‘Molten Black Earth’ sees the band channel their old school in magnificent fashion, with Van Drunen in imperious form. There is brutally heavy drumming, sledgehammer riffs which crush and Van Drunen’s rasping delivery.
Recorded in lock down, it’s immediately noticeable that Baayens has been storing up the riffs, ready for unleashing on the rabid fanbase. ‘Necroceros’ is partly a reflection of the current frustrations and challenges of the pandemic, it also serves as a reminder that Asphyx is a band whose sound was a huge part in the entire death metal genre. There are some massive tracks here. The concrete slab pounding of ‘Mount Skull’ sees van Drunen at his gravelly best, the gargantuan doom filled riff proof that you don’t always have to have 100mph pace to hit hard and hit heavy. Similarly, ‘Three Years of Famine’ and the crushing title track that rounds off the record both retain that enormous feel.
These lengthier tracks are balanced with some shorter, punchier songs. ‘Knights Templar Stand’ increasing tempo to a raging fiery crescendo whilst the sheer punishment on the tongue in cheek ‘Botox Implosion’ reminds you that Asphyx can match the speed of the most intense sprinters. It’s a track of pace and power.
Whilst the quality of the music is assured, one question remains and it’s over to Martin to answer. “I’m sure everybody will ask, ‘What the bloody hell is a Necroceros?’ I’m just really into sci-fi stuff and fantasy, and suddenly I came up with this word. I said, ‘We always use the word ‘death’ in our album titles, and ‘necros’ means ‘death’ in Ancient Greek…’. I mailed it to the lads, and they said, ‘What is it?’ I said it was probably going to be some entity from outer space that travels from some parallel sub-universe and finally gets to the Earth and starts to consume it! Paul came with some magnificent riffs and it just had to be the title track. It’s a fantasy threat, menacing the Earth after it’s destroyed many worlds unknown to us. And I promise I was sober when I wrote it! Ha ha ha!”
It’s been over four years since Incoming Death was released. The legions of Asphyx fans have waited patiently. The world may have turned upside down in that time but with the release of ‘Necroceros’, 2021 is certainly off to a hopeful start.
You can listen to our interview with frontman Martin here!
