ALBUM REVIEW: Lifeless Birth – Necrot

Californian death metal riff-dealing trio NECROT are back with their third instalment. 2020’s Mortal defined the band’s character, moving them into a competitive position within the realms of the death metal resurgence of the last few years. With a sound that clearly owes a whole lot to the pioneering Floridian sound, NECROT comfortably introduced their own darker mood into the mix and delivered an album of stand out presence. Lifeless Birth capitalises on the predecessor’s powerful nature and extends their style further. If you’re looking for riffs with depth, groove and darkness that lifts the music above that of contemporaries, NECROT are set to deliver the goods.

Opener Cut The Chord conjures up an imperious groove-laden rhythm right from the off. The insistence with which NECROT attack right out the blocks indicates that they are not here to mess about. Where album two developed their individuality and character from their 2017 debut Blood Offerings, Lifeless Birth explodes that personality onto a new plane of captivating death metal. The track progresses, producing catchy melodies to match the compelling rhythms, the gutturals round out the driving sound and track one shows off how unstoppable NECROT have become.

With a more rapid pace, the title track is just as powerful as the opening track and continues to capture the honed brutality that the band have developed. With a whirlwind tempo, it’s the type of track that conjures a circle pit without asking. It demands a primal response with its barely contained aggression. The lead guitar lines are swirling and chaotic yet detailed and structured to match the intensity of the overall track. Superior does the seemingly impossible and ups the forceful energy another notch. Blast beats abound, riffs gallop, and the thick texture hits like a freight train.  It’s surprising that a trio can create and deliver a wall of sound of this magnitude with layered complexity at its heart. In an album awash with standout brutality, Superior rises to its own level.

Lifeless Birth is not an introductory album to the genre. There are a lot of aspects that once unpicked help the enjoyment of the whole. However, the fact that it has no moment to take a breath from start to finish may put some off and there are precious few moments of accessibility. But with the production of the record lending so much more weight to the already gargantuan songwriting, this is an album that packs in a wealth of rewards for those that give it more than a cursory listen. Tracks like Winds Of Hell and the mighty The Curse would make this a special album on their own, let alone with the addition of those already mentioned. As mentioned, it’s certainly not an introductory album, however it is highly representative of both the rude health the genre is currently enjoying as well as the tremendous rise of NECROT.

Many will say, ‘do not sleep on this album’, frankly with such a colossal raucousness barely held in check on this record, sleep is impossible. Rich tapestry might sound delicate when it comes to death metal, but that’s exactly what NECROT have crafted here and Lifeless Birth will certainly be worthy of repeated listens and lauded attention.

Rating: 8/10

Lifeless Birth is out now via Tankcrimes

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