Review Summary: Riff-based and unapologetically experimental, Nachash gives Krokodil a very promising start to their career.
Sharing your name with a flesh-eating drug and being described as a sound fusion of big Mastodon-sized riffs and TDEP-esque experimentation seems like quite a big expectation for a band such as England's Krokodil to live up to. Yet they seem to have pulled it all off even before having released their eponymous debut album,
Nachash. Having recently toured with Mastodon themselves has alone added to all this crazed hype and so expectation will be great for years to come. Thankfully, the band's debut album does indeed live up to the hype.
Nachash proves that Krokodil love their riffs. Big, big riffs. Every song here, from the menacing opener "Shatter" to somewhat morose closer "Phyllotaxis", wouldn't quite be the same if there wasn't a big ol' riff-fest on offer. Not to say that Krokodil are being one-dimensional with their sound here-indeed, there are quite a few progressive, dynamic twists to make each song memorable and distinguished-but the riffs here are what give
Nachash that extra spice. Although the more riff-based, aggressive songs appear in the first half of the album, particularly "Shatter", "Skin of the Earth" and "A Life Lived in Copper, But Painted in Gold", they also turn out to be among the more memorable as a result. Despite the riffs all sounding a little too similar at times (and this also affects the aforementioned tracks amongst others), the guitar work often manages to develop and maintain continuity and coherence throughout each respective song, eventually overcoming the somewhat monotone vocal delivery.
Where Krokodil's debut gets more inspired and interesting however is in its second half, which sees the band confidently experimenting and progressing with a sound fusion of dynamic musicianship and ever-changing musical tone. "Porcelain Bones" for example, is so much more technical than it is simplistic and aggressive. The guitar work frequently brings to mind The Dillinger Escape Plan with its slightly jarring rhythms and menacing build-up, before exploding into a more atmospheric chorus which is bound to be a fan favourite at future shows. "Sleep Well, Medusa" is something of a slow-burner until it ferociously bursts with a punkish energy on both choruses, and what's more important is that for the first time in the album the bass and drum work both manage to shine through on their own, unharmed by the guitar work and the so-so vocal delivery. Finally, the final one-two punch of "Sobek" and "Phyllotaxis" both contrasts and complements the two songs. Whereas one is an energetic, quirky run through melodic albeit sinister guitar rhythms and powerful solos, the other finishes the album slowly but powerfully, ensuring the instrumental performance makes its mark on the listener. Whilst these two songs aren't quite as immediate as the album's first half, they do prove Krokodil are a band whoa ren't afraid to experiment.
Nachash doesn't do much for Krokodil, given that you probably already know, or at least have heard of them. All the band's debut album does is give them a great starting point in the world of metal, one that is greater and more promising than most bands do nowadays. Despite a few fillers,
Nachash is a more or less consistent album which explores different musical territories without deliberately messing up coherent song structures, and Krokodil have done it in such a way that you'll probably be thirsting for more.
