Band:	Necronomicon
Album:	Constant To Death
Style:	Thrash metal
Release date:	April 2023

01. Constant To Death
02. They Lie
03. Redemption
04. Stored In Blood
05. The Guilty Shepherd
06. A Voice For The Voiceless
07. Black Rain
08. Chrildren Cry Alone
09. Bloodrush
10. Down From Above
11. The Blood Runs Red

It would seem Necronomicon have done it again, that is, producing thrash... Constant To Death thrash.

Necronomicon are a German thrash metal act who formed back from in 1984, during a time when thrash was truly at its height. Although not nearly as big as the fellow German thrash metal acts Sodom, Destruction and Kreator, Necronomicon still brought a certain level of aggression and energy, unmatched by many acts during that time. And to be fair, they've managed to retain all that ferocity since.

If it's just pure and simple thrash you're after, the kind that gives you plenty of groovy, ferocious, breakneck speedy riffs, thunderous rhythmic pounding drums, speedy bass lines, cool solos, and madly energetic vocals, then Necronomicon will surely satisfy your needs. Now, you shouldn't expect anything different from the band's eleventh release Constant To Death.

Simply put, this release is a solid old-school thrash metal record. Performed precisely in the same manner that you would expect for a band that has been playing this particular style for forty years, despite vocalist Volker “Freddy” Fredrich being the only member from the original line-up.

The album features thirteen tracks, which you could probably say is more than what an average thrash metal record releases nowadays. Thankfully, the tracks are, in general, quite short, especially the first three tracks, which all clock in under the three-minute mark. So, straight away, the album begins with short, punchy, aggressive, speedy tracks, flowing from one to the next with very little room for pause.

This usual fast-paced flow carries on through to the fifth track, “The Guilty Shepherd”, the first of the four tracks that push past five minutes in length. “The Guilty Shepherd” is the first track which breaks the flow and tempo. The track unusually begins with the sound of a whip, this is then followed by a soft mockingbird lullaby, along with spoken word, before typical thrash elements kick in once again.

There are several parts throughout the album where you find the lead guitar work take centre stage, such as the lengthy guitar solo midway through “Stored In Blood”, a track that finishes off with an overly repetitive verse. Another solo worth mentioning is featured towards the end of the final track (excluding the album outro), “Poverty Show”. This track also contains one of the album's most memorable riffs, and an interestingly soft and atmospheric acoustic outro.

All in all, Constant To Death is a typically enjoyable thrash metal record. It has all the elements and ingredients needed for a good old-school headbanging session. Except, this is a record that won't exactly blow your mind, and the songwriting doesn't hit the same standard of quality as many of those earlier releases, but there's no denying the energy and spirit are still well and truly there.