No mercy with Nekrodawn.
With this second album, titled Covenant of Carnage, Jonas Kjellgren (guitar/vocals, Ironmaster, Raubtier, ex-Centinex, ex-Scar Symmetry), Johan Jansson (bass, Interment, ex-Centinex, ex-Demonical), Henrik Axelsson (drums, Implode, Hypocrisy, ex-The Crown), and Mika Lagrén (guitar, Graveyard After Graveyard, ex-Facebreaker, ex-Grave) join the War Anthem Records roster.
The band is uncompromising right from its first track, Neath Skies of Iron: the sound is devastating, furious screams erupt, and the frenzied pace more than encourages us to bang our heads before being hit with the chaotic leads, the only elements that emerge from this wall of unstoppable violence. It’s impossible not to wince when the rhythm section explodes in our faces, quickly giving way to the more theatrical Massacre Eternal, a slightly slower but equally heavier track where jagged patterns reign supreme and dictate a headbanging-friendly approach. Speed returns for the title track Covenant of Carnage, which definitely lives up to its name, combining a sinister Old School touch with a massive sound, while still allowing for a few moments of respite where the sound is more dissonant. Then we move on to Liberty’s Pyre, which draws on much the same elements to ensure a continuous rage that will undoubtedly appeal to fans of polished Death Metal. The harmonics offer our only respite from the carnage between two waves of violence before things ignite once more with Feeding the Greed Machine, which picks up where its predecessor left off and unleashes its abrasive riffs at a brisk pace while our heads bang once again and our fists rise of their own accord during the choruses. One might almost suspect Black Metal influences on Crowned Devourer and its utterly oppressive atmosphere, which allows itself a few speed-ups from time to time; then Condemned to Existence returns to pure brutality, though it still lets a few palm-mutes shatter our backs, once again delivering an elephantine heaviness. Claws of Pestilence follows with an intriguing but relatively calm intro that gives us a brief respite before the storm picks up again in full force, and then it’s with Incarnate Doom that the quartet charges forward once more, this time layering heavy-oriented melodies over a catchy foundation, making the track curiously accessible. Screams are still there, just like on Thy Spineless, which starts off fairly slowly with a tortured solo, then picks up speed to deliver its furious riffing that builds to a fever pitch before exploding into Drones of Deceit, a minute of pure Death/Grind-infused violence finally followed by Desolation Reigns, the final track that closes out the album on a melodic note, though still retaining those heavy and at times unsettling sounds.
Nekrodawn’s lineup is impressive, and the band confirms with Covenant of Carnage that their Death Metal is top-notch! Riff after riff, the four musicians convince us of their prowess, but above all, they make us want to see them live!
90/100
