Just what is it with Sweden and melodic death metal?
Not only did the Scandinavian nation give birth to this kick-ass subgenre but has consistently produced premium quality outfits that continue to elevate the metal landscape.
Following in the esteemed footsteps of Entombed, Dismember and Dark Tranquility, the latest line in the seemingly never ending production line of fine Swedish metal exports is LIK. Formed in 2014 in Stockholm, LIK is armed to the teeth with all the necessary weaponry required to rise above the mediocre - killer tunes, fantastic riffs and a true love of classic heavy metal. The latter element can be heard with the twin guitar attacks that is reminiscent of Iron maiden and Judas Priest which give the band’s albums a distinctly old school feel.
After recording and releasing their critically acclaimed third full-length, 2020’s Misanthropic Breed during the pandemic, the band headed back into the studio with a clear sense of purpose. While Misanthropic Breed was recorded at the quartet’s rehearsal space where the band produce all their demos, when it came to recording Necro, LIK upped sticks to record at NBS Studio (a.k.a. Necromorbus Studio) in Söderfors, two hours from their home city.
Once again using uber-producer Lawrence Mackrory (Meshuggah, Katatonia, High Parasite, Decapitated), all the music was recorded live over a three-day period, before Tomas Akvik headed to Uppsala to record his vocals at Rorysound Studios.
Make no mistake, album number five sees the band scaling new heights with weighty chunky riffs that are executed to near perfection. Following on the template laid on previous albums, LIK concentrate of songs that are full of dynamics and tunefulness that will have fans of this particular subgenre headbanging in orgasmic delight.
Yes, it is that good. Recalling the heights of classic long players such as Entombed’s seminal debut Left Hand Path, LIK take a similar route when it comes to sheer brutality with metal that is designed with one intention in mind - to completely pummel the listener with heavy yet tuneful songs.
This marriage of the heavy and melody is no easy feat but Necro makes it seem so, stocked as it is with prime examples of the finest cuts this subgenre has to offer.
Truly an album that fits the ‘all killer, no filler’ category, Necro will certainly delight fans with its supreme collection of songs. One thing that needs to be noted though is that the band’s massive thunderous sound is best enjoyed on physical formats. The streaming version just does not do it proper justice. If you were to invest in a copy, rest assured it would be money well spent.
