CD review ASPHYX ‘Necroceros’

Holland’s death metal machine Asphyx have fired up their engine once again and are releasing their tenth studio album ‘Necroceros’ end of January.

Asphyx, that is a long history of successes and split-ups. The last reunion dates back to 2007 and since 2014 the line-up of the band became quite stable again. Fans of the Dutch death metal veterans still had to wait six years until they finally can welcome a new album with songs penned by the quartet. ‘Necroceros’ the title of this new disc that once again shows the power of the four Dutchmen.

Martin van Drunen and fellow band members present once again why they belong to the spearhead of European Extreme Metal. To experience the full range of Asphyx, I recommend a visit to the middle part of this longplayer. Here you will find with ‘Three Years of Famine’, ‘Botox Implosion’ and ‘In Blazing Oceans’ songs, which perfectly describe the sound of the quartet. ‘Three Years of Famine’ is a slow death metal monster built on a brutal riff by Paul Baayens and the power of the rhythm section, a heartbeat provided by Alwin Zuur on bass and drummer Stefan Hüskens. And the four guys do not shy away from the calmer tones, which becomes evident in the middle part of the song. Still all elements fit together very well.

In contrast to this, ‘Botox Implosion’ fires from all guns. Fast and merciless, the listener is provided with the entire brutality of death metal in three minutes. Last but not least ‘In Blazing Oceans’, a title that also starts slowly but intensively and gains in power. The melodic guitar lines in the middle part give the song a certain special touch, the spice that makes it hellish and nice.

Asphyx deliver with ‘Necroceros’ again quality from start to finish. The four guys know how to write and record a varied death metal longplayer with several twists that keep the listener entertained. Asphyx prove that death metal can be aggressive, brutal and merciless without being cheap and predictable. Here are experienced experts at work.