Artist: Necrophagist
Label: Willowtip Records
Release Date: 1999
Rating: 5 Skulls
|
|
Title: Onset of Putrefaction Artist: Necrophagist Label: Willowtip Records Release Date: 1999 Rating: 5 Skulls |
|
|
|
||
Slither's Review:
Necrophagist is the amazing success story of a one man death metal arsenal named Muhammed Suicmez. A German citizen and the son of strict Turkish immigrants who wanted a traditional upbringing for their child, he was forbidden to play guitar. Naturally, he did what anyone possessed with the will to create would do, and taught himself the instrument in secrecy. Starting in 1990 at age fifteen Muhammed began writing a full album of material that would appear first as a demo, and finally as the phenomenal Onset of Putrefaction in 1998. If you aren't impressed or interested yet, consider the following: The entirety of the finished product was recorded by Muhammed himself with no professional training while he was at university studying Mechanical Engineering. Maybe I am more blown away because I had to work very hard for two years engineering with better equipment than he had access to before I ever produced anything this spectacular sounding, but there is no denying the raw talent displayed by this man. A couple guitars, a PC, and a drum machine to hold down the rhythm section; Odin's frosty beard this guy is amazing!This review is unique in that it doubles as a description of a little known classic recording and a heralding of new material. The original album has been out of print for quite some time, but after putting together a full lineup for his forthcoming second release titled Epitaph due out this year on Relapse, the madman has also re-worked his first album. Onset of Putrefaction has been touched up with new live drums, a new mix, a re-mastering, and some new packaging and artwork. Also included in this fantastic re-working will be a smattering of demo tracks all released on the Willowtip label later this year. Is anyone besides me about ready to piss themselves with excitement?
Any bands out there that want to attach the technical death metal tag to themselves should first compare their material to this album. Onset contains the most impressive and unequivocal display of finger dexterity I have ever heard; Steve Vai may pull off some weird shit, but he has nothing on this guy where composition is concerned. Sweep picking is rampant and performed with such ease it makes me never want to play guitar again. The music itself is crushing and layered metal riffing is intertwined with blistering neo classical leads and frills that remind me of a more impressive Windham Hell. If you need something to aspire to in your guitar playing, look no further than the lead on "Fermented Offal Discharge."
Enough blathering about the guitar gymnastics, vocals and percussion must be discussed. I despise the new "brutal burp" trend that some bands are using instead of a growl (Unique Leader I am looking at you) and I can say with confidence that the vocals here are vicious, mildly discernable and totally complimentary to the music. The subject matter is childish gore, but the man himself openly admits he started writing lyrics when he was 14, so it's hardly something to bitch about. The drums are so well programmed that only the toms give away the fact that this is a drum machine. Listen to the intricate work on the ride cymbal, I can't imagine how long this man spent programming, but it was well worth the effort. The bass serves its purpose to accentuate, but its bizarre tone leads me to believe it was programmed rather than performed. But just like the drums it is done in such an excellent fashion that I would be hard pressed to complain about it. The dynamic nature of this album brings to mind my old Nocturnus albums mixed with the adventurous technicality of Immolation and yet has something intrinsically unique to Necrophagist that I really can't describe.
If it is not already obvious from my gushing praise, I love this album. I eagerly await the new material and suggest anyone who is a fan of extreme metal and guitar virtuosity to worship at the bloody altar of Necrophagist. When the re-release hits, do yourself a favor and grab a copy of Onset of Putrefaction.
[- Metal Judgment Home -] [- Email Metal Judgment -]
©1999 Metal Judgment. All rights reserved.