And that’s five for Necrotted!
2023 not only marks the fifteenth anniversary of the band made up of Philipp Fink (guitar, ex-Hackneyed), Fabian Fink (vocals, bassist until 2013, ex-Hackneyed), Markus Braun (drums, ex-Cathedraline), Koray Saglam (bass, ex-Rotten Pope) and Johannes Wolf (guitar), but it’s also the year of the release of Imperium for the Germans.
With A Veiled Awakening, the band offers an initial ominous approach before delivering its solid riffs supported by powerful drums, followed by massive vocal parts. Deathcore roots give the moshpart that catchy edge, while heady leads mingle with the wave of violence before Reich der Gier floods us under its unstoppable double-kick roll. The mood is relatively darker on this track, which nonetheless keeps its devastating elements, fusing them with dissonance to create a pessimistic sound that quickly ignites on Sow Sorrow for Victory, the next track, featuring Acranius vocalists Kevin Petersen and Marcus Jasak. Driving parts are also part of this majestic composition, as is the epic solo that appears after a calmer moment, followed by Artificial Truth, which also develops the alliance between melodious leads and a rawer basis, combined with a frantic tempo. The band then call on Tomas Klar (Abbie Falls) and Simon Müller (Defocus) for Ignorance Is Fear, a track where the three voices perfectly complement each other under the jerky rhythm, adding wild Hardcore touches before Round X: Freedom V Security lets the musicians run wild to place their most powerful riffs. A few leads add the composition a touch of sweetness, before the crushing finale throws us onto Imperator and its relatively energetic approach, which will have no trouble seducing us live. There are a few Old School touches that fit in perfectly with the composition, as on the devastating groove of Order Beyond All Bounds, which strings together moshparts to let necks lose control, while incorporating a few cooler harmonics. The end of the album darkens with My Reign Come, My Will Be One, which integrates this haunting melody with a wave of uncontrollable fury, also letting the vocalist offer visceral screams before a more soothing final.
With each successive album, Necrotted‘s musical personality asserts itself, borrowing ever more airy melodies to give strength to their massive rhythms. Imperium is definitely their best album to date!
90/100
