Death Courier - Necrotic Verses
The album begins with super fast drumming and a frenzied grinding death metal guitar riff. The second, more melodic guitar layer uplifts the theme. Bill's vocals are dominant. There is no doubt; one of the best Greek metal bands, the first extreme metal band from Greece and one of the well-hidden diamonds of the global underground is back! The palm muted riffs of the same titled song 'Necrotic Verses' are brutal as hell while the beat down parts bring forth an early Asphyx atmosphere. The ritual has just begun.
'Mourning Ecstasy' comes next, and the song brings to mind bands like Sinister, Dead Congregation and Asphyx in a mix of pure blasting unholiness. Bill's low gutturals and some really well-executed in their sickness riffs colorize the pantheon of Death Courier. The band sounds as if they have swallowed the metronome, but still the result is absolutely human and old school remaining far from today's plastic modern productions. This is the real deal!
Bill's bass strikes in and 'As Heaven Blends With Rot' sets your neck spinning. The song maintains an excellent groove although it has many changes and different parts. The faster riffs of it sound like a bastard mixture of mid period Napalm Death with Morbid Angel and Angelcorpse. The lead guitar comes straight out of the pits of hell (or should I say straight out of Florida?) having the right effects to pulsate the listener.
'When Death Fits To Skin' keeps the death/grind aesthetics of the band in its mid tempo groove. The open chords of the song end up technical revealing another aspect of the Death Courier sound. The coming riff is one of those circling brutal riffs you will get to hear only in early brutal death metal bands. Mid tempo riffs that follow darken the air again leaving you gasping in suffocation just before the death/grind virtuosity takes control with the next riff. At the groovy part of the song you will feel all the old school pain. The hidden melodies are endless.
'Interlude' is a ritual theme which serves as the passage to the second part of the album. Enhanced with some of the sickest guitar overtones I've heard lately, it's outstanding in its paranoia and surely very effective.
It also serves well as the intro to 'Pillars Of Murk', a song that actually makes the connection of the past with the present of the band. Staccato riffing with melodies a-la 'Seasons In The Abyss' attributed to their thrash roots enter the listener to an abyssic domain where Bill growls his lungs out. The whole song reveals the great songwriting ability of the band. The drums are purely old school worship (in fact I was amazed by sound of the snare). The lead reminded me of the early 90's Greek scene and bands like Horrified, Necromantia, Funeral Revolt and Septicemia bringing all that aura to the present.
Up next is 'Morsimon Imar', a song of ultimate brutality. The opening riffs cut the skin like razors. For its most part the song is fast, but there is an excellent mid tempo break which significantly upgrades the whole result. At the slow part of the song, the open chords give the necessary space for Bill's bass to be clearly heard on how well it keeps the groove of the whole band.
'Immune To Burial' lies somewhere between Vital Remains and Immolation's technicality painted up with early Slayer 'Hell Awaits' passion. The faster riffs lie closer to Napalm Death 'From Enslavement to Obliteration' again and the beatdown grooves reveal the band's ability to play old school brutal death metal at ease. The ultra sick lead guitar theme completes this magnificent scenery.
'Visceral Slice' starts with a riff that sounds as if coming from the bands pre-Demise material. Morpheus Descends 'Ritual of Infinity' crawling riffs of pure unholiness hit you in the face. The production is of course not as raw as in 1992. The additional guitar layering makes the song even more devilish. The groovy part of the song serves as a connector with the blasphemous second part and its riff of utterly sick tone.
The last song of the album is 'Remnants'. After a punishing tracklist, the band decides to close the album in a different way. Early Slayer influences arise again in a song that begins with a great riff work which lies somewhere between thrash, death and doom, yet allows thrash to take control and drive it to an anthemic ecstasy of utter heaviness. 'Remnants' is a sick hymn to the underworld and the ungodly places of the dark side. The song has the vibe of a classic death metal tune. The Immolation/Incantation/Dead Congregation riffs over double bass drums leave the listener without choice but to headbang. There are countless sick overtones heard throughout the song. The riffs are blasting the one moment, but the next moment they turn to groovy themes full of blasphemy, disgust and disease. The final riff of the song is a superfast blasting one with millions overtones and brilliant drums, bringing to mind 'Teeth Into Red' of Dead Congregation out of their classic 2008 album "Graves Of The Archangels", but in an own Death Courier personal version. The acoustic themes used are simply magnificent and hauntingly dark.
The album ends in the best possible way reminding that death metal is still alive and Death Courier are still here to remind us. Death Courier is one of the most important and historic bands in death/thrash/extreme metal. They have a huge history, but also a very strong present! Purchase the album and dive in back to their discography, if you haven't already! You will be pleasantly surprised!
5 / 5 STARS
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'Mourning Ecstasy' comes next, and the song brings to mind bands like Sinister, Dead Congregation and Asphyx in a mix of pure blasting unholiness. Bill's low gutturals and some really well-executed in their sickness riffs colorize the pantheon of Death Courier. The band sounds as if they have swallowed the metronome, but still the result is absolutely human and old school remaining far from today's plastic modern productions. This is the real deal!
Bill's bass strikes in and 'As Heaven Blends With Rot' sets your neck spinning. The song maintains an excellent groove although it has many changes and different parts. The faster riffs of it sound like a bastard mixture of mid period Napalm Death with Morbid Angel and Angelcorpse. The lead guitar comes straight out of the pits of hell (or should I say straight out of Florida?) having the right effects to pulsate the listener.
'When Death Fits To Skin' keeps the death/grind aesthetics of the band in its mid tempo groove. The open chords of the song end up technical revealing another aspect of the Death Courier sound. The coming riff is one of those circling brutal riffs you will get to hear only in early brutal death metal bands. Mid tempo riffs that follow darken the air again leaving you gasping in suffocation just before the death/grind virtuosity takes control with the next riff. At the groovy part of the song you will feel all the old school pain. The hidden melodies are endless.
'Interlude' is a ritual theme which serves as the passage to the second part of the album. Enhanced with some of the sickest guitar overtones I've heard lately, it's outstanding in its paranoia and surely very effective.
It also serves well as the intro to 'Pillars Of Murk', a song that actually makes the connection of the past with the present of the band. Staccato riffing with melodies a-la 'Seasons In The Abyss' attributed to their thrash roots enter the listener to an abyssic domain where Bill growls his lungs out. The whole song reveals the great songwriting ability of the band. The drums are purely old school worship (in fact I was amazed by sound of the snare). The lead reminded me of the early 90's Greek scene and bands like Horrified, Necromantia, Funeral Revolt and Septicemia bringing all that aura to the present.
Up next is 'Morsimon Imar', a song of ultimate brutality. The opening riffs cut the skin like razors. For its most part the song is fast, but there is an excellent mid tempo break which significantly upgrades the whole result. At the slow part of the song, the open chords give the necessary space for Bill's bass to be clearly heard on how well it keeps the groove of the whole band.
'Immune To Burial' lies somewhere between Vital Remains and Immolation's technicality painted up with early Slayer 'Hell Awaits' passion. The faster riffs lie closer to Napalm Death 'From Enslavement to Obliteration' again and the beatdown grooves reveal the band's ability to play old school brutal death metal at ease. The ultra sick lead guitar theme completes this magnificent scenery.
'Visceral Slice' starts with a riff that sounds as if coming from the bands pre-Demise material. Morpheus Descends 'Ritual of Infinity' crawling riffs of pure unholiness hit you in the face. The production is of course not as raw as in 1992. The additional guitar layering makes the song even more devilish. The groovy part of the song serves as a connector with the blasphemous second part and its riff of utterly sick tone.
The last song of the album is 'Remnants'. After a punishing tracklist, the band decides to close the album in a different way. Early Slayer influences arise again in a song that begins with a great riff work which lies somewhere between thrash, death and doom, yet allows thrash to take control and drive it to an anthemic ecstasy of utter heaviness. 'Remnants' is a sick hymn to the underworld and the ungodly places of the dark side. The song has the vibe of a classic death metal tune. The Immolation/Incantation/Dead Congregation riffs over double bass drums leave the listener without choice but to headbang. There are countless sick overtones heard throughout the song. The riffs are blasting the one moment, but the next moment they turn to groovy themes full of blasphemy, disgust and disease. The final riff of the song is a superfast blasting one with millions overtones and brilliant drums, bringing to mind 'Teeth Into Red' of Dead Congregation out of their classic 2008 album "Graves Of The Archangels", but in an own Death Courier personal version. The acoustic themes used are simply magnificent and hauntingly dark.
The album ends in the best possible way reminding that death metal is still alive and Death Courier are still here to remind us. Death Courier is one of the most important and historic bands in death/thrash/extreme metal. They have a huge history, but also a very strong present! Purchase the album and dive in back to their discography, if you haven't already! You will be pleasantly surprised!
5 / 5 STARS
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1. Necrotic Verses
2. Mourning Ecstasy
3. As Heaven Blends With Rot
4. When Death Fits To Skin
5. Interlude
6. Pillars Of Murk
7. Morsimon Imar
8. Immune To Burial
9. Visceral Slice
10. Remnants
2. Mourning Ecstasy
3. As Heaven Blends With Rot
4. When Death Fits To Skin
5. Interlude
6. Pillars Of Murk
7. Morsimon Imar
8. Immune To Burial
9. Visceral Slice
10. Remnants
Reviewer: Manos Michaelides
May 19, 2020
May 19, 2020
Next review:
Engutturalment Cephaloslamectomy - Glam Not Slam
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