Album Review: Exhumed - 'Necrocracy'

7 August 2013 | 12:53 pm | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

A headbangers anthem and metalheads dream.

After a decade of silence Exhumed graced us with 'No Guts No Glory' in 2011, which was well receive in the metal community. Since then Exhumed have faced another line-up change. With this new structure the band have brought us their newest slab of malevolence 'Necrocracy', which shows a new approach to their music, but still with the old themes and sounds that they are loved for.

'Necrocracy' starts straight off with the heavy, heart pounding sounds that Exhumed has always been known for, with opening track 'Coins Upon the Eyes.' In this song and right throughout the whole album we are also met with a dual vocal technique. Additionally, Exhumed also seem to focus largely on their riffs and guitar work throughout the album. It shows a new approach in dynamic as the songs also seem to be played out slower than previous albums, yet they still manage to sound very heavy.

'The Shape Of Deaths To Come' shows the varied and different skills of the members as we are met with Harvey's high pitch screams, which then move into Babcock's rich guitar solos. This sound is something you can appreciate while also head banging like there is no tomorrow. Of course there is no forgetting the great drumming, which acts as the backbone to the brutality of the album.

The aforementioned guitar work and vocals on the album consistently stand out on their own. You are captured and driven by the bad ass vocals of Harvey and then you are met with intense and meaty guitar solos which leave you in awe. Contrastively, then there are moments such as in 'Dysmorphic' where you are presented with an acoustic guitar, which is surprising yet it fits as a nice little bit of relief in such a heavy song, both in theme and sound.

Exhumed have managed to produce a dense, headbangers album with 'Necrocracy', while incorporating a load of musical talent with their varying techniques. This full-length is something different from the group's previous works, but still something that a fan of any of the predecessors can appreciate, with its elements of death metal, gore and something new, which proves Exhumed are able to avoid that trap of heavy but mindless metal.

'Necrocracy' is an album which will certainly never bore you. Its technique is great while it appeals to any metal head with sounds that are great to whip around that long metal hair to. There really is not anything bad to say about the album. Exhumed have brought all their old, great sounds to the table plus a little more.

1. Coins Upon the Eyes
2. The Shape of Deaths to Come
3. Necrocracy
4. Dysmorphic
5. Sickened
6. (So Passes) The Glory of Death
7. Ravening
8. Carrion Call
9. The Rotting