Necrophobic

Formed in 1989 by David Parland and Joakim Sterner, Necrophobic was born around the same time as better-known bands such as Entombed, Unleashed and Dismember. However, the similarities between these bands were not that great, with Necrophobic taking a darker approach from the very beginning, even before eventually straying into black metal territory. The band's second demo, Slow Asphyxiation, was released in early 1990 and shows a band that has already developed into a force to be reckoned with.

Musically, the three songs on this demo do well to represent a mixture of various '80s influences. At times, this is almost reminiscent of the first Merciless album, with a decent amount of thrash riffs mixed in with the more traditional death metal passages. All of the tracks start out a little slower than the end up, building in intensity as they go along. The old Slayer influence is clearly heard throughout this demo, with hints of Mercyful Fate as well. The songwriting is very strong, especially considering that the band was still fairly new. The transitions are very smooth and every flows well. The riffs are very intense yet never getting to the point of being sloppy or out of control. The drumming does well to try to keep up with the speed of the guitar riffs, never falling behind or losing focus. Parland's solo work is amazing, showing the cold and nocturnal style that he would continue to develop, leading to the band's first full-length. The intro to the title track is particularly impressive and does well to create a dark atmosphere. This aspect really sets Necrophobic apart from many of their peers, and one has to wonder why they were not given more attention at the time. The mixture of Death and Thrash is done very well, creating a nasty and dark feeling. The vocals work well, too, being a bit on the deep side but not so much that anything is really lost. Zander's voice suits the music, despite not being on the same level as Anders Stokirk.

The production is not bad at all, really. It has a somewhat rough sound, but is clear enough for everything to be heard. Considering that it is a death metal demo from 1990, the sound is actually good. It isn't too far behind some of the full albums that were being released around the time. What some may notice is that it lacks the typical buzzsaw guitar tone that was developing in Sweden at the time. Naturally, the musical similarities between Necrophobic and others in the scene were not numerous.

Slow Asphyxiation is a solid slab of old school death metal and a good example of how this style branched off from Thrash. Rather than getting mixed up in the retro craze that has been going on for the last few years, with so many new bands popping up and trying to play this style, listeners would be well advised to first seek out the original demos and albums that were spawned in the old days. It is too bad that Necrophobic didn't manage to record a full-length sooner than they did, as they might have achieved wider recognition, which they absolutely deserved. The tracks from this demo are available on the Satanic Blasphemies compilation, so if you don't already own this cassette don't bother paying a fortune for it.

(31 Dec. 2012)

Necrophobic's third demo, Unholy Prophecies, was recorded in Sunlight Studios and released in early 1991. As with the last tape, it includes three news songs, all of them later appearing on the band's first full-length. Though only one year had passed, there are several noticeable changes, this time around. There are new members and a somewhat different approach to the songwriting, making this a bit of an odd recording, so some extent.

Musically, the style seems to possess more similarities to the other bands in the Swedish death metal scene. There are less Thrash riffs, with more emphasis on the typical mid-paced riffs that were being used by a lot of bands around this time. "Sacrificial Rites" even begins with a slower section that really works against the rest of the song, thankfully left off when they recorded The Nocturnal Silence. The songs are definitely slower than on the previous demo, though not without some fast moments. David Parland's lead solos are still the highlight of the music, as the nocturnal vibe conveyed by these melodies really adds to the atmosphere and leaves you wanting more. The new vocalist is not so different from the previous one, so the same guttural style is employed here and is nothing particularly special. His voice suits the music, but a raspier approach would have accentuated the darker feeling a bit more. This was proven to be true by is replacement. Also, this appears to be the beginning of the band's use of Satanic and occult themes in the lyrics.

The production is very typical for Sunlight Studio, and this is really the only time that Necrophobic had this kind of guitar tone. In a sense, this works against the band, as it makes them sound like nearly every other band coming out of Sweden at the time. Everything is very thick and the sharp edge from Slow Asphyxiation is completely lost. Only occasionally do guitar melodies cut through this and rise above the fog, so to say. It's not entirely bad, but Necrophobic's style was different enough from many of their peers and this should have been capitalized on. Instead, this recording almost seems to try forcing them into the same mould as the rest.

Unholy Prophecies is a decent offering of old school Swedish death metal, and definitely fits in with a lot of the other releases that were coming out of there at the time. However, it fails to really showcase the full potential of Necrophobic as the songwriting and production do little to make the band stand out. In fact, it seems to be working toward the opposite effect. If you want to hear quality death metal and have an interest in the band's early period, this is definitely worth checking out. However, these songs are only a shadow compared to how they would sound on The Nocturnal Silence.

(31 Dec. 2012)

The Nocturnal Silence is the first full-length L.P. from Sweden's Necrophobic. The album was recorded in Sunlight Studio in Stockholm, in March 1993 and it was produced by Necrophobic and Tomas Skogsberg. Despite being recorded in this well-known studio, the album definitely has its own atmosphere and is not typical of most Swedish death metal. It sounds as if the band consciously avoided going for the typical buzzsaw guitar tone made popular by bands such as Entombed and Dismember. The more raw feeling really suits the overall atmosphere, as this music is much darker than anything being done by their peers.

Necrophobic formed in 1989, and had gained much attention through the release of two demos, Slow Asphyxiation and Unholy Prophecies. Far from being stagnant or sounding just like everyone else, it was clear that this band was on a different path right from the start. They stood out from the mass of bands in Stockholm by possessing a bit more technical skill, Satanic themes and a vocalist with more of a raw and hateful voice. Anders Stokirk utilizes an approach similar to Masse Broberg of Hypocrisy, but not as deep. In general, everything about The Nocturnal Silence possesses more of a blackened sound and really embodies the more evil feeling that was given off by some of the earlier death metal bands, such as Morbid Angel.

The album begins with a short keyboard intro, that could easily fit in a horror movie. The slow, creepy riff that follows really sets the mood for the album. Then, in typical Slayer fashion, Hell is unleashed. "Awakening..." is a pretty fast-paced opening track. The musicianship is high quality and David Parland's guitar work is excellent. His is an easily identifiable sound, no matter what band he plays in. The first song already displays a decent variety of speeds. The production is very good, being clear enough to hear everything well but also raw enough to convey the right feeling. The vocals and riffs combine, perfectly, to create a rather hateful and abrasive feeling.

The albums continues on with blasphemy and an ever-darkening atmosphere. "Before the Dawn", especially the slower riffs with the brief spoken passage, was very successful in creating an evil feeling. The solo really does well to add a sense of gloom to everything. This album really seems positioned in between black and death metal, as it doesn't entirely belong to one or the other. As the album progresses, "Unholy Prophecies" features more of the same hellish aura that has been produced thus far. However, at certain points, one would expect things to really speed up but it never quite gets fast enough. This is only a minor complaint.

One of the real gems of this album is the title track, "The Nocturnal Silence." The acoustic intro and the brilliant solo that starts the song really imbue the listener with visions of the full moon in the blackened night sky. Then, the Satanic ritual begins as the song takes off. The vocalist sounds as if his throat has been shredded by broken glass and the result is very good. The song has a certain doomy quality, until things speed up. Here, the fast tremolo riffs dominate. The intensity builds as the song progresses, with a very morbid section coming late in the track. Parland's "nocturnal" solo near the end is perfect as well. The solos really help to set Necrophobic apart from the other bands in the Stockholm scene, and add a lot of depth to the music. There really is little or nothing to complain about when it comes to this album. This song is definitely one of the highlights.

"A freezing silence descends in the night
Cold winds whisper damnation
Deathlike shadows rising on the ground
The call from the lords of creation"

This is followed by the brilliant instrumental, "Shadows of the Moon", which really continues the feeling that was created by the slower parts of the title track and serving as the perfect bridge between the first and second half of the album, doing a fantastic job in leading into "The Ancients Gate". Though fairly brief, it is as memorable as anything else on this album. Unfortunately, this track is not present on most versions of The Nocturnal Silence, due to some miscommunications with the label. "Inborn Evil" was supposed to be left off, as the band didn't think that it possessed the right feeling, but the instrumental was dropped instead. Only the American pressing, by Cargo Records, includes the proper track listing as the band wanted.

From the demonic voices in the beginning to the brilliant solo that follows, "The Ancients Gate" proves to be a real classic. This track is very dynamic and feels somewhat epic, at times. For a song to stand out on an album filled with such greatness truly means something. It begins with a rather subdued pace, featuring an almost hypnotic lead solo, before bursting forth with demonic fury. The slower section, featuring the acoustic bit, adds a sense of gloom to the atmosphere, before returning to an absolutely hellish and evil sound.

"Sacrificial Rites" is another uncompromising track, dropping the mid-paced part from the demo version and just exploding out of the darkness and going right for your throat. The riffs are intense and powerful, with Stokirk's frenzied vocal delivery really lending a sense of urgency to the song. Despite being released in 1993, this is another song that shows that the band's creative forces were really rooted in the '80s. Once again, another masterful solo appears near the end.

"Father of Creation" includes a lot of slower (by comparison) riffs and allows the listener a little bit of a break, though the diabolical hatred is no less than on the previous songs. The real highlight of this track, for me, is the old school drum break in the middle, sounding much like something from ten years earlier. Parland's solos not only demonstrate his skills, but really add a total nocturnal feeling to this song and most of the others, conjuring up images of dark forests illuminated by moonlight and blood rituals being performed by torchlight in old and forgotten cemeteries.

Somehow, though the entire album is bursting at the seams with memorable riffs, "Where Sinners Burn" manages to open with yet another one, coupled with a haunting lead solo. Like much of the album, it possesses many speeds and it is dripping with evil. This song really does well to close out the album, as there is just some sense of finality put forth by nearly every riff and vocal line. The song ends with a particularly gloomy riff that just fades into the nothingness.

The Nocturnal Silence is an incredibly strong debut album. The fact that this band did not gain as much of a following as many of their inferior contemporaries (in Sweden and elsewhere) is an absolute crime. This puts most every other death metal release from this time to utter shame, even including the much-hailed Covenant, released by Morbid Angel just a couple months earlier. This shows the value on toiling in the underground, playing shows and recording demos before putting together an album. Not only is the musicianship excellent, the songwriting was well thought-out and Necrophobic easily achieved what they set out to do. This is a classic piece of Satanic death metal history and one of the best albums to ever be recorded at Sunlight Studio. If you have not heard this, you've been missing out.

Necrophobic's Bloodfreezing demo was recorded in early 1994 yet only shared with people close with the band, not receiving an official release until much later. This was the first recording with Tobias Sidegård handling vocals duties, and also features new member Martin Halfdan, on guitar. This is an interesting piece of the band's history, as it shows them transitioning from the Satanic death metal of The Nocturnal Silence toward the colder black metal feeling that would dominate their second album, Darkside.

Musically, it is very clear that main songwriter David Parland was becoming a bit bored with the death metal scene and was delving deeper into black metal territory, also recording the first Dark Funeral E.P. around this time. Though Necrophobic's sound was already darker than that of the average Swedish death metal band, the material on Bloodfreezing shows that they were distancing themselves ever more from their peers. There is a definite Dissection influence, here, with a similar cold and melodic sound. Even the vocals sound a bit like Jon's work on the demo for The Somberlain, possessing almost a hollow quality. "Black Moon Rising" is a fast-paced track, which is really satisfying compared to some of the material on The Nocturnal Silence, just for the fact that there were more mid-paced parts on that album that felt like they were holding something back, at times. "The Call" is much the same, starting with a sombre bass line before unleashing the freezing cold of Nifelhel. The songs sound, more or less, arranged and finished, not showing much deviation from the versions that would appear on Darkside, though still very interesting to hear how they sounded with Parland's playing.

The overall sound is kind of rough, as it is a demo recording, but still of high enough quality to hear everything that's going on. As a matter of fact, even in this condition, it sounds better than some full-length albums that were being released at the time. The guitar tone is not quite as cold as what would be heard on Darkside, or The Secrets of the Black Arts for that matter, still retaining kind of a death metal sound despite the actual songwriting being different than before.

It is too bad that Necrophobic did not manage to record their second album a year or two earlier. I have no idea if the material was even prepared, but if Darkside had been released in 1995, with David Parland still involved, it might have gained more recognition than it did. This was certainly a band that deserved more attention and should have gained a wider following in their earlier years, especially compared to many of their contemporaries. The Bloodfreezing demo is further proof of this. If you're looking for these tracks, pick up the Spawned by Evil re-release.

(9 Jan. 2013)

The Third Antichrist, released by Black Mark in October 1999, is the third full-length album from Necrophobic and the first effort without David Parland. After going from the Satanic death metal of The Nocturnal Silence to the more black metal approach of Darkside, it should not have surprised anyone when the band's next album saw a yet another shift in their sound. This time around, things were about as similar to the previous outing as possible, yet with a more varied style and a greater emphasis on melody.

"Rise of the Infernal" is an intro that possesses an apocalyptic feeling, which is exactly what the band was going for. This is achieved with an acoustic guitar and a bit of synth. One really gets the sense that something dreadful awaits.

The opening guitar melody of "The Third of Arrivals" is in the same cold black metal style as the band utilized on Darkside, though any hopes that this will be in the same vein are crushed with the introduction of the thrashier riffs that accompany the vocals. Though similar in approach, the aggression is not the same. The two themes alternate, until the middle of the track where things slow down a little and a nocturnal lead solo emerges. Though Parland is gone, the band does their best to continue on the style that he established.

"Frozen Empire" starts with an ominous melody, before launching into a bitter cold riff that brings a chill to any who hears it. Sidegård's vocals are still in the same style as on Darkside, though a bit less raw. He sounds somewhat similar to Jon Nödtveidt, in a sense. As the song progresses, more lead solos are employed, really building the epic atmosphere. The guitar tone is still kind of thin, but thicker than on the previous album. The sound is a bit more polished, as well, losing the raw edge that was present in the past. However, it is not over-produced by any means and the haunting melodies reach a level of quality not often achieved, in the past. The lyrics do a good job of keeping in line with those of the past, while also suiting the music well.

"Mournful, silent is the night
In white, the nature lies asleep
Whining winds are blowing cold as ice
Frozen is the valley of shadows"

The next song is a little weird. "Into Armageddon" features sections with only bass and drums, underneath the vocals, in more of a Rock style. The pace is slower and the overall feeling is different. There is still a sort of gloomy feeling here, with brief a brief backing choir that is slightly reminiscent of Viking-era Bathory. The speed and intensity pick up, around the middle, soon followed by more melodic lead solos. The tremolo riff, that was present at the beginning, reappears and teases the listener. This definitely could have been developed more, but that was not what the band was aiming for.

"Eye of the Storm" starts out with a mournful melody and consists of thrash riffs mixed with tremolo riffs. There seems to be some effect on the vocals that adds an icy feeling. Nonetheless, Tobias sounds like his throat is shredded and this works very well with the vibe of the music. The tempo of this track switches a few times, but the general mood is kind of low. The lyrics also show the first real attempt at incorporating themes of Norse mythology into Necrophobic's music, something that would be further explored down the line.

"I search for the balance of fire and ice
From Nifel to Muspell with longing in eyes
I search for the wisdom the one-eyed once gained
Metamorphosis obtained"

"The Unhallowed" is a shorter track that features more of a straightforward approach. At times, it utilizes thicker power chords with a cold tremolo riff weaving through it. The lead solos show the skill of the guitarists and a really professional level of musicianship.

This is followed by "Isaz", which is one of the standout tracks on The Third Antichrist. Starting out with a fast tremolo melody, it soon transitions to a slower riff. The melody that comes in-between the verses has more of the cold, nocturnal feeling that dominated much of Darkside. The middle section is incredible, building a sense of dread and adding an epic feeling at the same time. The lead guitar solo carves through your mind with its frigid sound and carries you into the shadows.

At this point, the album kind of loses steam. "The Throne of Souls Possessed" shifts gears and goes from Nordic themes back to more of an anti-Christian sentiment. This track is a little less memorable than some of the others, though not for any lack of quality. It includes more great solo work and maintains the cold atmosphere that is found throughout the rest of the album, yet it seems to work better as part of the overall record, rather than standing on its own.

The first few riffs of "He Who Rideth In Rage" are kind of generic and one gets the sense that this song was less developed than the others. While the first part has kind of a death metal feeling, the later section is reminiscent of Bathory. This suffers from a lack of consistency, with the most enjoyable riff coming at the very end.

"Demonic" returns to the nocturnal atmosphere, though the riffs sound like rehash of earlier songs. It is mostly fast-paced, though it slows down for a bit and includes a very brief bit of clean guitar and a spoken-word passage. It is a fine song, but it does not stand out enough from those that preceded it.

The final track is an outro that imbues the listener with a very gloomy and horrible feeling. "One Last Step into the Great Mist" features a tremolo melody that is played quite low, with a very simple drum beat and almost-whispered vocals. Actually, this would have made for a great song if the riff had been utilized in a normal way, with fast drums and typical black metal vocals on top of it. Still, it works well to end the album on a dark and sombre note.

The Third Antichrist is where the band really established the sound that would persist for the next several years. Taking what David Parland set forth on the first two albums and building upon that, they created a brilliant style of melodic black metal that should appeal to fans of the band's later works, especially. Anyone into bands like Dissection and Sacramentum should check this out as well. Overall, it is a very solid record.

(3 Feb. 2007)






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