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TRENCHROT
Necronomic Warfare

Unspeakable Axe (2014)
Rating: 8/10

Necronomic Warfare is the debut album from Pennsylvanian death metallers TrenchRot, the sort of band who will no doubt appeal to anyone who has grown up with a diet of Pestilence, Asphyx, Thanatos, Death et al. Certainly the most old school expression of this opus is the vocal sneer of Steve Jansson who, alongside Brooks Wilson, is responsible for those embryonic guitars which mix dry, concise riffing and at times traditional, almost evocative solos. This is nowhere more evident than on the brilliant seven-minute title track, which wouldn’t appear out of place on Pestilence’s classic Testimony Of The Ancients (1991), such is its sense of maturity and awareness. Necronomic Warfare is going to be the sort of record on everyone’s lips by the end of 2014, and those of you who are not impressed by the nature of this beast are most likely completely deaf.

TrenchRot have only been in existence for a couple of years, but there was a simmering buzz about their 2013 Dragged Down To Hell demo (included on the album as three bonus tracks). Fans of old school death metal are going to love this record, a composition which combines brutality, menace and methodical metal with enough nods to the underground to keep it dank and earthy at all times.

The band also consists of drummer Justin Bean and bassist Steve Geptik, and these guys are responsible for that ominous rumble throughout the aforementioned title track as well as the likes of ‘Sickening Devotion’ with its groove-based introductory chug, and the superb assault of ‘Necrotic Victory’ . The combination of pace, weight and foreboding means that TrenchRot have hit the nail on the head when it comes to re-enacting those old school aesthetics, which are built around dry, chesty vocals, deep chugging rhythms and creaky percussion.

Throughout this record there are also hints of a Swedish influence mixed with Obituary-styled structures; every track remains easy on the ear, yet like so many classic death metal albums, this one just has such a rotten reek about it due to those foetid arrangements. Lyrically, the album is very much traditional death metal too, as the likes of ‘Mad Dogs Of War’ clench the ears in their slithering coils. Again I’m reminded of Pestilence, Asphyx et al, especially in the rasp which is very reminiscent of Martin van Drunen (who fronted both of these bands).

Necronomic Warfare is an album that’s hard to put down, such is its quality. Before you start thinking this is just another death metal album, it’s time you realised just how good modern death metal can be when it takes on old school values. Far from being polished, TrenchRot’s introduction to the extreme metal void is one of grit, determination and above all, an understanding of what it takes to sound authentic long after the initial wave of classic bands.

Neil Arnold

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