The sounds and audio spells from Canada’s extreme music benders Necronomicon have carried into late 2019 with a new stirring opus combing styles, structures and genres molded into their world venturing down new pathways, producing a unique product all their own. They’ve gone Beyond Thunderdome so to speak on new record Unus.
They’ve made a career pulling the teeth from traditional death metal using untraditional styles and sounds to modify and morph what you’d expect to hear, turning the status quo on its extreme ear.
Unus unleashes the creative fury of symphonic voices and strings adding them as heavy creative ingredients to the loud crunching riffage and ear bashing drums. From the angelic (holy or unholy, you pick) sophistication of what the gods deliver to the sun streaked heat of Middle Eastern sands, they’re still exploring new paths conjuring hybrid formulas giving the metal genre new framework to rip and stretch to form.
Three decades in and they’re still coming up with new sound rituals to bang, mosh and growl to as Unus mixes Pantera with Dimmu and Behemoth with sounds and sighs from the ancient sands like curses and spells carried on the wind. Going to different musical galaxies, sometimes where no death metal sounds have ventured before with lyrics telling the stories as the gods watch from above.
Keyboards hit fast and high like marching armies fast approaching on “Ashes into Flesh” as narrating growls accompany angelic chorus’s as winged-spread symphonic guardians fly over. The Goddess of war gives haunting atmosphere with a command of hunt thy enemy. Guitars groove with double vocals adding to the effect with classical keys adding unique elements to the death metal sound. The battle hymn wails as blast beats hit hard and the soul of the chorus reign high in unison with strings giving warning. Guitars cut like razors through lyrical skin with mood bending piano keys scrambling the soundscape.
The battering ram hits with precision on “Infinitium Continum” with a back and forth battery of guitars shooting amo, like a steady tank, claiming terrain. Keyboards play along enhancing the song. There’s an old school feel in the sound as sci-fi mixes with magic and sorcery with darkness taking a backseat to fantasy. A song that twists and turns wrought iron in design, like a well used machine.
Guitars and drums attack with rapid fire violent recourse without remorse on “Paradise Lost.” The buzz saw guitars riffs compliment the style along with the immediate slower pace as drums blast through everything with automatic fire.
Trumpets blast through a crowded room for “The Price of a Soul” with spirits singing and warning on the chorus as a siren sings her tune. The symphony builds to their slow climax with divine Egyptian hands sweeping over the sands in two minutes of military helmed music, trapped in the intricate delicacy of a music box with voices of gods, goddess’s and generals.
Drums beat along-side fast riffs on “Singularis Dominus” racing toward battle and victory. Military tuned guitars thrash as the heavens watch the carnage mass into a blitzkrieg whirl wind of sound, momentum and devastation.
Middle Eastern strings play “The Thousand Masks” with guitars, growling. If the phrase country twanging could ever be uttered in a death metal setting, it might be here with Middle Eastern notes carried on the wind plucked to the highest dunes.
Guitars drag the waters a bit “Ascending the Throne of Baator” slugging out notes with Phil Anselmo-like vocals.
“Fhtagn” is a dark collection of whispers, ominous noise, scary music and background horror elements, setting the stage for creepy encounters. Creeping notes wait in the dark, as echoes of the past help unearth prophetic places not meant to see the sun again.
The band will be hitting U.S. shores for “A Relentless Onslaught US Tour” with Belphegor, Suffocation, and Abiotic. The 26 date trek starts October 24th ending November 23rd.
Unus is a strong addition to their ongoing library and a sure choice to strengthen any long term fans growing extreme metal collection and a chance to bring new eyes and ears to next their Necro-narrative.
