Necronomicon ex Mortis and Bloodfeast Ritual are both US death metal bands, and they have teamed up for this split release.
Bloodfeast Ritual share a guitarist with Necronomicon ex Mortis, and deliver two songs to start off the split, with a total duration of 14 minutes.
Soul Annihilation starts us off, showcasing Bloodfeast Ritual’s punishing, yet progressive assault. With riffs that are both angular and blunt, the song bludgeons you with an old-school beating. The progressive side of the music adds another layer to the aggression though; the spectre of Death haunts the background of the song, inspiring Bloodfeast Ritual to ever further heights of violence.
Decaying Humanity is a 10-minute epic, allowing the band the time and space to develop their progressive side. The promo mentions Blood Incantation and Atheist, and both are relevant reference points for this meaty track. Flexing their progressive death metal muscles, Bloodfeast Ritual craft an engaging song that’s steeped in morbid worldbuilding. There’s a greater emphasis on atmosphere, and the song is a step up from the previous track, which itself was pretty solid. If Decaying Humanity is a good indication of where Bloodfeast Ritual are heading, then their first full length album could be something special. More of this please.
Necronomicon ex Mortis are up next, and boast the drummer of Replacire in their ranks. Their side of the split consists of four songs, totalling 17 minutes.
They begin by establishing macabre atmosphere, with The Music of Eric Zahn. It’s an instrumental intro that’s far more engaging than such a lacklustre description usually implies. It’s slow-burning, cinematic, orchestral in a subtle, atmospheric way, and eerie. An impactful opening, and reminds me of a creepier version of something Fulci might do.
First song proper is Bound in Human Flesh, a feast of old-school death metal horror. The promo blurb mentions Deicide and Morbid Angel, only with a thrashy edge, and I couldn’t agree more. There’s a welcoming savagery to the song, like you recognise and are greeting your butcherer with open arms. Full of riffs and electrifying solos, it digs deep into its 80s death metal influences.
Unspeakable Swamp Creature follows, and is the band’s longest cut. It follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, but is less frenzied and more restrained. The songwriting is catchier and less about raw aggression, and more about using death metal to tell a story. The greater use of melody and atmosphere works well, and it’s a strong song overall. The bass is particularly good on this track. If Bound in Human Flesh unleashed a band going straight for the throat, Unspeakable Swamp Creature showcases a band with a wider array of weapons to terrify and assault.
The split closes with Misery, which I’ll once again turn to the bands that the promo mentions to set the scene for this crushing finale – Bolt Thrower and Obituary. Yes, it’s a song that focuses on mid-paced stomp, steamroller groove, and winding melody. On each of these songs Necronomicon ex Mortis seem to be channelling a different facet of old-school death metal, while still obviously being the same band with the same sound. It’s a welcome approach, and like the previous songs Misery has much to recommend itself for fans of classic death metal.
A solid split from two up-and-coming death metal acts. Hopefully this split will help to put both bands on the map a bit more.
Wonderbox Metal 