Baest: Succumb to the Meathook Massacre

Picture, if you will, the vast hordes of European death metal. What bands come to mind as the best and brightest? The Swedish heavyweights are obvious mentions – ENTOMBED, DISMEMBER, UNLEASHED and GRAVE have more than earned their place at the top of the genre. BOLT THROWER certainly take a spot. What about more modern outfits? FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, perhaps, for those with orchestral leanings. The deep underground is a treasure trove of incredible bands in heavy metal’s most brutal genre, but in terms of world-beaters, bands who take the genre by the scruff of the neck and leave no doubt that they have come to conquer, the modern death metal scene is very much a North American stomping ground. Unless you happen to be BAEST, who are back and better than ever with their hotly anticipated third record, Necro Sapiens.

It seems impossible to discuss a new album, any new album, at the moment without the spectre of COVID looming over the conversation. The prospect of release shows or tours following an album’s release are out of the question for the foreseeable future – a seriously blow for a band like BAEST, who have built a reputation as road warriors over the last few years – while even writing and recording an album can pose a challenge for bands who are more geographically spread. But as grim as COVID-19 has made the music industry at present, its important to remember to take positives where they come. A double edged sword if ever their was one, as every band wants to get on tour as much as possible, but the lack of live opportunities gave BAEST ample time to perfect their song writing to make Necro Sapiens their best record yet – and they more than delivered.

“This was the first time we were totally prepared going into the studio and every song was more or less finished. We had about a week before where we played the whole album over and over again. We knew when were recording Necro Sapiens it was going to be our best.” Drummer Lasse Revsbech comments from the band’s rehearsal space, flanked by his bandmates.

“We recorded the whole album live in the studio,” guitarist Svend Karlsson continues. “Everyone recorded simultaneously, Simon [Olsen, vocals] as well. There was no click tracks, no overdubbing, its all live and I think you can really feel that energy.”

The enthusiasm BAEST have for Necro Sapiens is well earned. Both their debut Danse Macabre and its follow up Venenum were strong releases, but this third record is a different beast entirely. This feels like BAEST have finally reached their potential, writing and performing at their strongest and loving every minute of it. But did such a huge leap forward in quality come to be?

“We play together twice a week, every week, so those breaks aren’t there. If there’s no touring, we don’t just sit around and do nothing – we keep playing together, whether it’s playing the old songs all day are developing new ideas. We have a really inspirational fellowship – the fellowship of death metal!” Karlsson offers. “Nothing is forced, we just do what we enjoy… And if you work really fucking hard, as we have, some special is going to happen.”

One of the great strengths of BAEST has been their storytelling. Danse Macabre was a concept album about the dance of death while Venenum retold the legendary Dante’s Inferno. Necro Sapiens sees the Danes delve into their own creativity, bringing new ideas and stories to the table.

“Lyrically, Svend is very good at putting together a really good story.” Vocalist Olsen begins, explaining the general concept of the record. “The inspiration for Necro Sapiens was to put together a futuristic world derived from George Orwell’s 1984, dystopian themes mixed with Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40,000 and post-apocalyptic themes like Mad Max. We wanted to make a lyrical universe around these themes.”

“If you listen to the record from star to finish, you have Genesis – the elite that keep the Necro Sapiens disillusioned – then you’re introduced to Neco Sapiens, the human race, and you meet the Czar, the ruler of this world who is on the cover of the record.” Karlsson continues from Olsen, detailing the specifics of the story running through the album. “The Abattoir is the parliament of this world, because the free man’s will and hopes are slaughtered in there every day… Meathook Massacre is about the guy who tortures the slaves, the Necro Sapiens are the human slave-race, being ruled by the ultra-capitalistic elite from out in space.”

“The next few tracks depict a prison or a gulag, the Towers of Suffocation, where all sorts of torment and mutilation are happening.” Olsen carries on from Karlsson. “And then we take a slightly more open song, Sea of Vomit is an overview of the world of Necro Sapiens, and leaves the album maybe open to a sequel.”

BAEST are nothing if not ambitious – and Necro Sapiens is the product of that ambition. On a thematic, storytelling level, the Danes have outdone themselves and shown the strength of their creativity. But on a musical level they have smashed all expectations. Following on from two very strong records, no one was expecting Necro Sapiens to be a dud – but equally, few were expecting BAEST to come out with one of the best European death metal albums in recent years. The gauntlet has been thrown down, now, and there’s only two options: accept BAEST as the new overlords of European death metal, or succumb to their meathook massacre.

Necro Sapiens is out now via Century Media Records. 

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