Nekromantheon
Rise, Vulcan Spectre 

Indie Recordings 2012

If ever I have seen evidence of a band gaining momentum it is with Norway's unholy thrashers, Nekromantheon.  Their sophomore full-length is a fiery sermon of hellish thrash.  It takes equal amounts of Sacrifice and Sadus and spews their influences forth with a reckless abandon that neither of those bands ever displayed.  Rise Vulcan Spectre is a more thought out and fuller album than Divinity of Death.  The first track, Cast Down To The Void, is a merciless onslaught of speed and razor-sharp filth.  Arild's vocals command you with their demonic focus.  Blood Wisdom is next with its shredding opening section which cuts away with sharp drums and rusty, rhythmic guitars.  And then all of a sudden a catchy riff accent that would be right at home on Forward To Termination jumps out and clutches at your ears like a blood thirsty wolf.  The triumphant march of Embrace The Oracle imbues a diabolical dementia to the guitars as they continue to gain steam.  The drums hammer away like the beat of a thousand orcs in the deeps of Moria.  The title track loops in a Slayer-ish melody and then speeds it up, if that is even possible.  The gang vocals on the chorus sound like Arild is possessed by all the spirits of Hades.  The album is rounded out by Raised By Dogs which starts innocently enough with some drum rolls and midtempo thrashing.  Then Nekromantheon lets fly a storm of shotgun steel, massive blows ripping flesh taking no prisoners.  A huge chugging mosh section breaks out like a violent pit at the 3:45 mark and continues its violent undulations to the song's conclusion.  Nekromantheon has returned, possessed by the spirits of the dead, and has delivered an album that is stronger and more vicious than anything they have ever done before.  However, Rise, Vulcan Spectre is also more mature and well written.  Each song has its own identity.  This album is a dirty, rabid avalanche of thrash and will go down as one of my top albums of 2012!