Necrocosm - Damnation Doctrine
Hailing from North Carolina in the United States is the band Necrocosm, and their debut full-length entitled “Damnation Doctrine” is sure to turn some heads in the melodic death metal world. However, even though this was a fairly enjoyable album, there was something about it that left me feeling strained. It’s like an annoying itch right in the middle of your back that you can’t quite reach. More than likely, it has something to do with the undeniable “core” vibe of this album that is totally out of place as well as the fact that the track listing is out of order on the last few songs, and the inability to follow along with certain lyrical passages. That was another thing that threw me off about this album, the lyrics. To me, it sounded as if the band was grasping at straws as far as lyrical content grows. Perhaps, it was felt the more abstract and fantastical the lyrics, the more intriguing the finished product would be. From this aspect of the album, I was totally lost as to the direction the band was going and the message they were trying to convey. There seemed to be a metaphysical aspect combined with themes of Armageddon and the last days, as well as human violence that is so far on another plane that all of this combined together is nothing short of a clusterfuck set to implode due to the inability to convey a basic understanding of purpose. However, I must give the band an “A” for effort where the lyrics are concerned. I just feel that they tried to hard here and in doing so have taken a big chunk of potential enjoyment away from the other aspects of this album.
Aside from the lyrical fiasco, I must say that the music on this album is top notch. 100 percent true to form in the genre of melodic death metal, played with the ferocity as if they were a brutal death metal band. Riffs are reminiscent of what you would find on the releases in the early 2000’s and they are played with a precision that demands old school respect. The bass is a little low in my opinion but the production values of this release more than make up for that. The drum work is pretty run of the mill as far as what you would find in this genre, and even though this is a melodic death metal album, they style of playing takes on a vibe that of traditional death metal or even technical death metal. If I could sum up what this album sounds like it would be this. Imagine In Flames getting together and making an album with Origin with elements of recent Suffocation efforts. I am well pleased with this aspect of the album, and perhaps through this, I will gain an understanding on the other elements that seems so incomprehensible. These guys definitely have a lot of talent and potential. Aside from this release, they also have a demo from 2013 and a single from 2014, and aside from what I feel to be the setbacks of this release, I will admit that there are bands out there who have 2 and even 3 times as much material as Necrocosm, but lack the talent and technical ability. With that being said, this album is by no means a total loss.
I know that the lyrical and vocal issues may turn some people away from this release but I also realize that there are those who totally immerse themselves in this type of writing and will consider it a great part of this release. So, if you do like this style of writing that is a little beyond reality’s grasp and understanding, then this album is definitely for you. But, if it isn’t, I would still recommend this album on the musical talent and playing alone. This is definitely a unique band and anyone listening should be prepared as much as you can be with a band like this. I look forward to hearing what this band has to offer in the future. There are definite improvements that can be made, but for the most part these guys are on point and devastating with their brand of melodic death metal.
Aside from the lyrical fiasco, I must say that the music on this album is top notch. 100 percent true to form in the genre of melodic death metal, played with the ferocity as if they were a brutal death metal band. Riffs are reminiscent of what you would find on the releases in the early 2000’s and they are played with a precision that demands old school respect. The bass is a little low in my opinion but the production values of this release more than make up for that. The drum work is pretty run of the mill as far as what you would find in this genre, and even though this is a melodic death metal album, they style of playing takes on a vibe that of traditional death metal or even technical death metal. If I could sum up what this album sounds like it would be this. Imagine In Flames getting together and making an album with Origin with elements of recent Suffocation efforts. I am well pleased with this aspect of the album, and perhaps through this, I will gain an understanding on the other elements that seems so incomprehensible. These guys definitely have a lot of talent and potential. Aside from this release, they also have a demo from 2013 and a single from 2014, and aside from what I feel to be the setbacks of this release, I will admit that there are bands out there who have 2 and even 3 times as much material as Necrocosm, but lack the talent and technical ability. With that being said, this album is by no means a total loss.
I know that the lyrical and vocal issues may turn some people away from this release but I also realize that there are those who totally immerse themselves in this type of writing and will consider it a great part of this release. So, if you do like this style of writing that is a little beyond reality’s grasp and understanding, then this album is definitely for you. But, if it isn’t, I would still recommend this album on the musical talent and playing alone. This is definitely a unique band and anyone listening should be prepared as much as you can be with a band like this. I look forward to hearing what this band has to offer in the future. There are definite improvements that can be made, but for the most part these guys are on point and devastating with their brand of melodic death metal.
- Damnation
- Sworn Hatred
- Architects Of Death
- Disavow
- Octopian Eclipse
- Necrocosm
- Hypnagogic Gait
- Force Fed Progeny
- W.B.S.
- Plains Of Inexistence
