Papa Necrose could have just made ‘Anthropomorphy Execution’ another straightforward 90s Death Metal clone, but it actually has too much going on to stay in the box.
The riffs are biting and aggressive when they need to be, yet the band always manages to work its way toward some progressive and melodious passages to keep the album feeling somewhat more current than I thought it would be. Thankfully, those elements don’t mellow the flow of the record. They simply amplify the heavy weight impact when it’s time for it to return.
The overall production, aided by the clear mix allows each component of this album to shine without sounding polished, overly rehearsed, or “tight”. I detect some Pestilence and Death influenced brutality, yet Papa Necrose still has a flair to their approach on the sharper edges of the album. The melodic choices, bass lines, and weight of the riffage combine to give it an original feel.
The bass guitar slithers through the mix rather than submerging beneath the more apparent guitars and adding that necessary flavor to the more precise moments.
I found myself getting into this on a greater level than anticipated. It possesses that heavy old school core that fans of the style anticipate, but Papa Necrose willingness to embrace the slightly strange during the writing process is what held me captive for the entirety of the album.
