Necroblood - "Collapse of the Human Race" (Amor Fati Productions/Iron Bonehead Productions, 2017)

Band: Necroblood
Title: Collapse of the Human Race
Genre: Bestial Black/Death Metal
Year: 31st March 2017
Time: 45 min
Rating: 80/100













After Ritualization, here you are another band coming from the dark and morbid side of Paris: Necroblood. They are one of those bands able to be into the ranks for over a long period before realizing their long-held debut album, and this because Necroblood were born even in 2006 as Evynkar but they have their current moniker only since 2010. From that moment, Necroblood released with a good periodicity a series of minor productions included the 2012 "The Rite of Evil" compilation and a split in 2015 titled "Jesus Fucking Wept vol. 1" along with war machines like the Danes Ogdru Jahad, the Canadians Necroholocaust, the US Weregoat and the Aussie Impure Worship, a firing squad perfect for every diehard fan of the bestial black/death metal like me. So, it is with great pleasure I review the long anticipated first album of Necroblood "Collapse of the Human Race", released on CD by the German Amor Fati Productions and on vinyl by Iron Bonehead. Let the collapse begin!

This is an album that starts with an intro that is nothing more than a satanic evocation and, ended this, there is no peace for the entire mankind! Because Necroblood respect every feature typical of the bestial black/death metal in order to offer to the Supreme Lord of Darkness a babylon made of cavernous guitars, demented blast-beats and abyssic growls à la Infernal Curse (the main vocals) alternated with screams full of endless hate that sometimes remind to me Bestial Warlust (as in "Glorification Through Destruction"). Necroblood show, since the true first song "Through Limitless Abysses", a very raw assault influenced clearly by bands like Blasphemy, Black Witchery, Demoncy (the first riff of the conclusive "The Omen" seem to be taken by their second album "Joined in Darkness") and Revenge (some their military drum patterns are listenable, for example, into the aforementioned "Glorification Through Destruction", also if Necroblood don't have the chaotic and hysterical approach of James Read and co.). But, reading all this, it seem that Necroblood are another bestial black/death metal band faithful until the absolute devotion to the main features of this genre without offering something personal...and, instead, these 4 French demons are able, effectively, to offer something personal.

In fact, first of all, their songs aren't focused always on a non-stop brutality considering that, for the truth, they are based on a good alternation between killing blast-beats and groovy/slow tempos. So, the slower tempos allow to Necroblood to offer some atmospheric moments with a strong apocalyptic vibe also through riffs with a more black metal touch but some of these ones are impregnated of desolated melodies, as in the case of "Operation Gomorrah" while, in the middle of the tracklist, there is even an instrumental song called "Essential Collapse". Then, there is "The Omen", a 7 minutes' torment where there are only 2 riffs repeated ad libitum with its second part which is very effective also if it is completely instrumental, and this song is perfect to show you how Necroblood can be very raw and minimalistic. Finally, the guitar solos aren't so chaotic and noisy as the bestial black/death metal genre wants, except in some numbers like "Operation Gomorrah".

So, this album is another demonstration of force by a French extreme metal scene which is now very vital and competitive also thanks to young bands as Venefixion, Ritualization and Skelethal. Sure, "Collapse of the Human Race" isn't lack of flaws because songs like "Sons of Genocide" plays more or less the same things from start to finish while the many mid-tempos and the obsessive riffs temper sometimes the extreme chaos and the impact typical of the genre but, as I said before, Necroblood give a very good importance to the atmosphere creating collapsing and apocalyptic landscapes. On the other hand, numbers like "Through Limitless Abysses" (strong of an ultra-merciless riffing à la Black Witchery), "Glorification Through Destruction" (where the lunatic screams à la Bestial Warlust are incredibly awesome!), "Operation Gomorrah" and the monolithic "The Omen" are fantastic! Said all this, 22nd May 2017 was the long desired comeback on the stage for Necroblood after 3 long years without live rituals, and during that night they were along with the German black/doomsters Occvulta and the legendary Aura Noir. Expect some other good news from the French extreme metal scene on these pages!!!

Tracklist:

1 - Intro
2 - Through Limitless Abysses
3 - Evil Against Evil
4 - Sons of Genocide
5 - Glorification Through Destruction
6 - Essential Collapse
7 - Baptised by Evil's Cum
8 - Sadistik Hunt
9 - Operation Gomorrah
10 - The Omen

Line-up:

Exekvtion - vocals/guitars
TerrorReign - vocals/bass
Bastial Desecrator - guitars
Rimmon - drums

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Necroblood/190841180982433
Amor Fati Prod: http://www.amor-fati-productions.de/
Iron Bonehead Prod: http://www.ironbonehead.de/