Necroven - Primordial Subjugation

NECROVEN - Primordial Subjugation (MEMENTO MORI - CD 2016)

Memento Mori is a great label, I can sincerely say that from all current death metal labels they have one of the strongest and most interesting catalogues. They have many fantastic releases I'm big fan of and Necroven's "Primordial Subjugation" belongs to my top favourites. This Spanish duo from Canary Islands is rather little known, which absolutely sucks, but both of their albums and a 7"EP are killer, in my opinion, and I can sincerely recommend them, if you're into this music. They're must to have for sure! 

And what music is it? Death fuckin metal, of corpse! Well, "Primordial Subjugation" is an album, which very quickly won my full appreciation and support. I already knew Necroven from "Worship of Humiliation" and "Descent into the Cryptic Chasm", so I knew what to expect, but this album is even better than two previous recordings. Despite its dark, sepulchral aura and dense, brutal sound, "Primordial Subjugation" is for me a very memorable album, which is why it so quickly bought me. Necroven's death metal is an impressive combination of Morbid Angel, Immolation, but more so of Incantation and newer bands such as Dead Congregation and Unaussprechlichen Kulten. Especially from the last two bands I mentioned you could easily imagine what "Primordial Subjugation" is like. Necroven has absolutely killer, thick as tar, bestial riffs that simply crush with its massive sound and bloodthirst. They also perfectly balance fast parts with slow, withering stuff, which is why the music is very dynamic and interesting. And more so, here and there you'll get captured by some mesmerizing melodic pieces, like in "The Ethereal", which to me gives even a slightly Swedish (and partly also Finnish) death metal feel. This music obviously is very atmospheric; it is brutal, but the horror, eerie atmosphere is there always. That's enough to give me a boner. And win my appreciation completely. 

From start to finish, I think "Primordial Subjugation" is a spectacular album, which is almost perfect, in this style of death metal. I absolutely love it and it’s one of those cases, when I can easily say why the current death metal scene makes me so hungry for more such bands. Because they are fuckin bestial. And I so wish to see this album in vinyl format also!

Standout tracks: “Sacrificial Deliverance”, “The Pyre Cycle (Burn in Solitude)”, "The Ethereal" 

Verdict: 90/100