Band:	Massacre
Album:	Necrolution
Style:	Death metal
Release date:	November 08, 2024
A review by:	omne metallum

01. Fear Of The Unknown
02. Xenophobia (Prologue)
03. Ritual Of The Abyss
04. Ensnarers Within
05. Death May Die
06. Chasm (Prologue)
07. The Colour Out Of Space
08. In The Lair Of Legacy Leeches
09. The Things That Were And Shall Be Again
10. Xothic (Prologue)
11. Dead-Life: ReAnimator
12. Shriek Of The Castle Freak
13. Curse Of The Resonator
14. Horrors Of Hidden Truth
15. Shroud Of Shadows
16. Ad Infinitum: The Final Hour

You won't fool the children of the necrolution. 

Having long struggled to emerge from the long shadow that their debut album From Beyond cast, Massacre have spent their subsequent years trying to prove there is more to them than their opening statement. Thirty-three years and still going, 2024's Necrolution is perhaps their strongest attempt yet at moving beyond said shadow and into the light. However, as good as the album is, those familiar with the band will recognise that being their best attempt to date is not the compliment you think it would be, given the bar that has been set. 

Massacre have been through more break-ups than a Hollywood rom-com, with a rotating cast that would make any casting director's head spin. Having found a level of stability not seen before in their careers, the band have been prolific since the great plague two: electric boogaloo. With the ever-present Kam Lee joined by old hand Borders on bass and new face Rudin on drums, Massacre is a mix of old and new (if only they had something borrowed and blue); as a result, the band sound revitalised in a way they haven't in years. 

The first thing you will notice is the sheer scope of their ambition, plying the audience with sixteen tracks of old school death metal is likely to be as much a treat to some, as it is a trick to others. Among this glut of material is some quality death metal that will harken back to the genre in its infancy, when horror music met extreme metal and created an unholy union that produced some of the best music to be called metal. While the best of Necrolution doesn't hit those lofty heights, they are enjoyable nonetheless. 

"The Things That Were And Shall Be Again" unfortunately highlights that band still have it, when the stars align (unfortunate in that I have to type out such a long track name), which, when placed alongside the H.P. Lovecraft-indebted "Death May Die" and "Dead-Life: ReAnimator", underscore the quality this band can produce. Mixing old school heaviness with melodic interludes, it is a fresh look at an old style. "Shriek Of The Castle Freak" is an interesting and powerful idea that will get the blood flowing, with its punk undertones providing a solid foundation that they build upon. 

Kam Lee has seemingly not aged, given the quality of his voice, retaining its hoarse bark and demonic tones; "Curse Of The Resonator" highlights his seemingly timeless performance. Managing to hang on longer than many members before him, Johansson is again on guitar, and providing a solid mix of speed, melodic and atmosphere when called upon.  

However, Massacre fall into the same trap they have ever since From Beyond, specifically that they are good, but not great; the album is an enjoyable listen, but given the strength and breadth of the competition out there, it leaves them at the back of a crowded pack. At 16 tracks, the band have bitten off more than they can chew, with several blending into one another or stretching themselves thin when they could have condensed the ideas into fewer (and likely better as a result) songs. Seemingly speed running their way to making up for their sparse discography relative to the length of their career, it is done so at the expense of quality over quantity. It is easy for songs to blend together, often with you zoning out and not realising three songs have played out in the interim, particularly as many of the album's offerings lack much in the way of anything identifiable or unique. 

Necrolution is perhaps the opt title Massacre could have given the album, marking the next step in the band's career as their sound dies on them; like a marathon runner with necrotising fasciitis, the longer it goes on, the more drops off and the more exposed they become.