Necrodeath - Idiosyncrasy Review
by Matt Hensch
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The original Italian veterans of the prototypical metal world known as Necrodeath have faced many situations, but none have been so artistically challenging or chancy than "Idiosyncrasy." Proudly standing as their tenth full-length child over twenty-five years after the group's abominable birth, the album continues Necrodeath's black/thrash metal mayhem as expected, except there's a major devil in the details: "Idiosyncrasy" is surprisingly only one song. The single foundation of the record – divided up into seven parts in case you feel like pausing the cinematic piece – runs for an impressive forty minutes, and it surprisingly maintains a level of consistency often unseen in gigantic tracks. Astonishingly, "Idiosyncrasy" fails to defile the upbringing and resurgence of Necrodeath's career; there are no progressive elements, industrial passages, or what have you. It actually runs purely on the group's signature traits without the addition of irrelevant influences. This is a Necrodeath record above anything else, and you know the band will beat your bum like a punching bag even if it takes forty minutes to finish the pulverization.
Much like the past discography of Necrodeath, the gripping combination of black/thrash metal defines the band's efforts, although there are some slight differences in execution. But more importantly, the forty minutes of blasphemous pounding which comprise "Idiosyncrasy" apply a signature mix of retrogressive black/thrash metal ingredients into Necrodeath's spicy cesspool. Interestingly, the song runs sequentially on the steady swirl of thrash-laden riffs and old-school black metal components à la Venom or Possessed rather than devouring progressive themes or musically-lacking ideas which usually suffice for long anthems. In other words, it is an actual song, one that the group could perform live without any manipulation or special help in the sound booth. However, it is important to note "Idiosyncrasy" has a number of stellar factors aiding its conquest: the vocals are aggressive and powerful, the universal guitar work remains addictive, and the advanced essentials of a compositionally-difficult tune stitch together with absolute prose, consistency, and effectiveness.
Furthermore, the actual contributions on the musical end are fantastic. You could say Necrodeath seems to show a sign of maturity that really aids their identity, particularly with the transitioning between ripping thrash riffs and the creepy, slithering sections of pure darkness occupying much of the release. They don't seem to run out of intriguing ideas either, as noted by the brief absence of guitars about half-way through the journey or the number of well-timed solos exploding over the pandemonium, and they somehow manage to balance a chorus within the forty minute which doesn't fall to repetition or redundancy. The surprises and black virtues are seemingly limitless, and it would be insane to label each and every twist Necrodeath has up its demonic sleeve, so you'll have to experience the massive thrill of "Idiosyncrasy" yourself to truly grasp the whole picture. However, it is nothing short of awesome.
Overall, "Idiosyncrasy" quickly becomes an enjoyable treat, and it's easily one of the most musically developed compositions penned under the Necrodeath tribe. More importantly, this mammoth slice of apocalyptic doom shows the band forcing their creative variance into something that would otherwise remain uncomfortable or debatably taboo; however, they pinned the trial into submission with willingness often unseen. At the very least, "Idiosyncrasy" is an evolutionary effort that brings Necrodeath to a new plateau of chronological maturity, and it truly establishes the group's ability to produce wonderful black/thrash metal that moves away from one-dimensional territory and keeps Necrodeath's legacy darker and more diabolical than ever. Can't really say how this falls between their earlier works because of its nature, but it's definitely a recommended listen.
Necrodeath - Idiosyncrasy Rating:8.5
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