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Necrophagist: The onset of putrefaction

07/05/07 || The Duff

I had never heard of Necrophagist until reading a more than glowing review of their 2004 effort, “Epitaph”. What struck me most was that it was written by Lord K, who usually only reserves such high praise for when talking about his cock n’ balls. Well, I absolutely had to check this one out, and after picking up what was left of my face after my first listen, had to conclude in exactly the same way as ol’ K(ellogs) himself: “Epitaph” was clearly one of the finest, most original takes on death metal I had ever heard. That album kept me going for some time, and as such some years have past before my seeing to purchasing this band’s only other album, “The Onset of Putrefaction” (by this time with re-edited drums, a fresh production and a couple of extra tracks taken from the band’s earliest years).

One of the chief reasons for which this album is so unique is that the guitars are insanely technical. Muhammed Suicmez, after fleeing his country from religious persecution and ethnic genocide (not really – I hear he had to keep this project secret from his parents, though), clearly decided to lock himself in a basement for a couple hundred years to develop his chops (the guy is out of this fucken World with the skills he embellishes), before coming out from his darkened retreat and unleashing this bold piece of artistic genius onto the masses. In short, this album kicks in with the ferocious and technically demanding “Foul Body Autopsy” and just doesn’t let up until the final (official album) track, “Fermented Offal Discharge” – “The Onset of Putrefaction” is definitely a hairier, more voracious beast than its follow-up.

Apparently, all of the guitars for this album were recorded with no gain on the distortion channel whatsoever, and later worked on in the studio (another reason for which this band’s sound can be set apart from other death metal outfits) – this I can most certainly believ; if ever there was a distorted, metal guitar tone that was camp, this one here is it. The sweeps don’t exactly blur past the listener whilst ripping out the eardrums and removing the greater part of the scalp (as may be the case with a band like Origin), but instead frolic on by in snug-fitting tights and a quaint little dress; when the guitars are taken into consideration, this does sound “prettier” than most metal, but the listener is as such awarded the privilege of being able to hear absolutely every single note being played with an utmost clarity.

The lyrics deal with the same ol’ shit we’re all accustomed to; how romantic it would be to stick your cock into the eye-socket of a rotting corpse, or cutting up dead babies whilst masturbating into a vat of feces – y’know, the kinda stuff that would make Shakespeare turn red with jealousy, were his corpse not being fucked in the eye socket. I read that Muhammed kept the original lyrics after the re-edit, ‘cos it was part of his history, which I admire, but I must say that I prefer the more philosophical approach he took with “Epitaph” (as much as his English may have been somewhat faulty).

To conclude, “Epitaph” is, without a doubt, Necrophagist’s crowning achievement; I mean, it’s 100% musical perfection, and easily one of the greatest albums of our time. “The Onset of Putrefaction”, mind, does not fall far behind. It’s simply the same band with slightly less focused, quite a bit more aggressive compositions, with more variation in the soloing department from one of the finest classically trained guitarists this World shall ever hear, and some triggered drums that don’t sound quite as healthy as the real thing (yet those on “Onset…” definitely sound more genuine than most triggered drums, I can tell you) – at the very least, they sound technical as fuck, and I’m sure a great deal of effort was put into programming them. I would highly recommend this album to anyone looking for a unique take on death metal, and for those who gave “Epitaph” a shot but thought it too flowery for their tastes.

8 fruity guitar sweeps out of 10.

Information
Released: 1999 (re-released 2004)
Label: Relapse Records
Website: www.necrophagist.de
Band
Muhammed Suicmez: absolutely fucken everything

Tracklist
01. Foul Body Autopsy
02. To Breathe in a Casket
03. Mutilate the Stillborn
04. Intestinal Incubation
05. Culinary Hyperversity
06. Advanced Corpse Tumor
07. Extreme Unction
08. Fermented Offal Discharge

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