Necrot – Mortal (Review)

This is the second album from US death metallers Necrot.

Necrot play highly engaging classic death metal, and Mortal presents us with 38 minutes of the stuff. There are a range of different influences at play on Mortal, and it doesn’t adhere to the style of any one particular geographic area or era, much to its credit. Instead it casts its net wide and pulls in a rich bounty that it packs into seven tracks of exemplary death metal.

Theirs is an old-school death metal approach, full of destructive groove and raging guitars. This is music that’s simple and infectious. Filled with memorable and catchy moments, these songs are well-written, precisely-delivered, and packed with meaty riffs. Well-structured to take advantage of dynamics, flow, and pacing, each of the songs has its own identity within the whole, and each could be an underground hit in its own right.

On the surface of it you might wonder what makes Necrot stand out over any number of other old-school death metal bands. The answer lies in the sheer quality and authenticity of the traditional death metal that’s on display here. These songs sound like they could have been composed decades ago, and I mean that in a very positive way. Necrot have got something special, and Mortal channels this exceptionally well.

Although Mortal has plenty to recommend itself on first encounter, it’s over time that this album truly reveals itself for what it is, which is classic death metal royalty. Prepare for a masterclass in old-school death metal. Prepare for Mortal.