Japanese bands are quite under-represented in the Metal world. Not only do you have Black Metal greats such as Sigh among others but you have a quite niche yet varied stratosphere of Death Metal and Grindcore. Including Shikabane, Transgressor, Coffins, Unholy Grave and today’s subject Necrophile, who made possibly my favorite album from Japan depending on the day.
‘Awakening the Oppressed’ is an album that’s made up of chunky mid paced rhythms a la Metallica or Exodus to Speedcore like intensity using the template from acts such as Slayer, Bulldozer, Napalm Death and Kreator. This album has quite a familiar formula for all fans of Death/Thrash Metal yet stands out from its inspirational paradigms by transforming the music by adding a more dark atmosphere than other albums at the time.
Not often does an album that’s often a love letter to metal as a whole gives much of the person engaging with the music much to write home about. One of few bands that make it work however is Necrophile by taking an already perfected recipe of Thrash-esque Death Metal with rapid fire tremolo picking coupled with signature Dave Lombardo influenced skank beats as well as techniques lifted from Mick Harris’s Blast Beats laid over a palette of fast and slow riffs.
Songs like ‘Awaken Ancient Storm’, ‘Night of Glommy Narcist’ and ‘Racing Time’ are great examples of how the band’s writing style stands out from so many Thrash acts that have their heart in old school metal but fail to deliver in presentation. Drums are to transition from typical thrash beats to more Grindcore oriented drumming often layered over riffs complicating each other. Often displaying high velocity energy that range from swift note progressions similar to Darkness Descends era Dark Angel, blazing fast tremolo picking mirroring the first few albums by Massacra and groovy guitar rhythms in varying tempos that are lifted from Morbid Angel and early Malevolent Creation records.
Not only that but songs may show off the occasional eviscerational grindcore influenced parts on many songs. ‘Dissolocation’ is a great example of this. The song’s core DNA is rooted in Thrash Metal like the whole album but shows off its versatility in their love for Old school Metal (and arguably even punk as well). It’s an album with a lot of range yet contains just enough familiarity for fans of music like this to make them keep coming back for more.
This record is not only extremely expressive but it’s often adaptable to changes in song structures or writing as a whole. This album is quite unique though again it remains in a sound that’s quite ‘comfortable’ for a lot of listeners so it’s relatively easy to get into. It doesn’t get old nor wears out its welcome. Listeners will be quick to grasp this album and may become an often listen for some.
