Band: NECRONOMICON
Country: Germany
Title: Invictus (re-release)
Label: Total Metal Records
Year: 2020
Style: Thrash Metal
Review:
This is a re-release of Necronomicon's 7th album from 2012, not such a good year for the band since it had to compete with Kreator's Phantom Antichrist, Flotsam & Jetsam's Ugly Noise or Testament's Dark Roots of Earth, to mention only the most important Thrash Metal releases of the year, but I guess Necronomicon are used to this competition as they've always been there but unfortunately for them they've never had the chance to reach (or convince?) the masses like their peers from Kreator, Sodom or Destruction for example. Invictus is a mix of Teutonic Thrash Metal with American Thrash Metal with some obvious influences from Heavy and Power Metal and with a polished, professional production to make them proud, but what it lacks is the memorability factor, each and every track sounds good and one can easily get into this album, but after the audition one's not left with much to remember and maybe hum waiting for a replay. The same goes for the aggression displayed here, as by nature Thrash Metal is savage and energetic but Necronomicon somehow hold the aggression back by incorporating Power Metal melodies and keeping the rhythms to a mostly mid-tempo pace with only occasional outbursts of speed. Anyway, that being said don't get me wrong, Invictus sounds killer, and the first word that comes to mind after the audition is "professional", Necronomicon sounds professional on this album, like they've been extra-attentive to every bit of sound on it, and reaching almost 30 years of activity at the release date back then, it's impressive to hear such energy and commitment from the Thrash Metal veterans from the South of Germany. The re-release version comes with two bonus tracks and a new cover artwork, worth a spot in your collection.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: -/10