Review Summary: If you like technical death metal, this is an essential. If you like shredding, this is an essential. If you don't...look onward.
Necrophagist, a band of many talents. If you mention the name to a fan of death metal then they'll probably exclaim with joy and throw up the horns. Say the name to just about anyone else and they'll either not know what you're talking about or just ignore it. Just from this alone you can see that this band isn't very well known, but that doesn't mean that they aren't bad by any means. This band has been getting alot of exposure on this site and praise too for their amazing technicality, insane solos, and a really incredible rhythm section. I can't really argue with that, these guys are one of the most amazing technical groups I've ever come across. Enter the technical brutal death metal band that is Necrophagist and their album...
Epitaph
Necrophagist is comprised of on this album:
Christian Meunzner - Guitar
Hannes Grossmann - Drums
Stefan Fimmers - Bass
Muhammed Suicmez- Guitar/Vocals
The genre of metal has always been one to have incredible musicianship in it since its formation. With that talent, there have always been bands that stood above the rest with their sheer musical skill and know-how. When you think of one group that simply amazes you with musical talent, who comes to mind first? I thought so: Dream Theater. Sure, they've got the skills of gods, but their songwriting ability is pretty sub-par to say the least. Necrophagist came to give these guys a run for their money, and they've actually surpassed them in my world as the craziest group in the metal world with sheer talent. You'd probably be able to agree with me after listening to the intro of the first track "Stabwound", in which you hear every single person in the band just flat out own. From the abnormally fast drumming to the absurdly technical soloing, you can't help but admit that these guys have talent like no other. Top it all of with a great bass solo and you know you're in for a death metal ride like no other.
Let's expand on what I said about their musical talents. In short, they're beyond great.But let's keep on going. Muhammed Suicmez is simply a master at writing extremely technical death metal riffs, which you can tell within a song or two of this album. His riffs are lightning fast, utilize the entire fret board, and are constantly changing. Most of them are pretty impressive to listen to, but there's also a few that are just there to blow you back and make you bang your head. They're pretty sick. The riffs aren't usually the things people talk about when Necrophagist is mentioned, though. Most people mention the insanely difficult and advanced solos. Those people are right - Epitaph has some insane solo material that would make just about any guitar or bass player's jaw drop to the floor. And every song has some form of solo in it, too so all of you shredders out there would probably get a kick out of this. It's filled with neo-classical madness.
The rhythm section, while not getting as much time to solo, still own up in their own right. Stefan's bass work is certainly comendable, as he doesn't just play the same thing as the guitars the entire time. He'll be laying down some interesting slap work (Stabwound) or some great tapping lines (Seven) or just some great overall shredding on the bass (Only Ash Remains). It's a real pleasure to listen to, especially if you're a bassist. The drums are just as impressive as the bass and guitars, maybe even more so. Hannes is becoming well known in the death metal scene as one of the genre's best percussionists. His work is chock full of hyperblasts similar to that of Cryptopsy's Flo Mounier or Kataklysm's Max Duhamel. Amongst all this chaos he still manages to play some incredibly speedy fills wicked double bass patterns, too. Drummers should really look into this album, as it contains some masterful drumming.
So, is there anything wrong with this album? Sadly, there is. To start off, I can't stand Muhammed's vocals in the least. They just seem so forced. There comes a time when your voice can be just too brutal, and it's shown here. His voice is incredibly low and indecipherable. It's similar to that of Lord Worm, but just not nearly as enjoyable. Luckily the vocals aren't taking too much time in the songs, as there are plenty of parts with solos and great riffing, but when they're present, they're pretty bothersome. I think they'd be a much better group if they found a different vocalist. Secondly, there comes a time when this album can be simply difficult to listen to. Technical music is some of the greatest stuff on earth, but after you hear it for extended periods of time it can begin to wear on your ears. The riffs on this album are often difficult to follow because they always change so it's hard to find the rhythm at times. I know they're not aiming to make music to bob your head to, but it's still something noticeable that I'd like to complain about. Thirdly, this album wouldn't be something alot of people would want to listen to. It's incredibly brutal and heavy so some people wouldn't enjoy it.
The album's highlights:
Stabwound
Ignominious and Pale
Only Ash Remains
Seven
Pros:
-- Some of the most technical music out there
-- Great soloing
-- Every band member gets plenty of time to shine
-- Great production quality
Cons:
-- Vocals are pretty bad
-- Sometimes the album can be just too technical
