People who have become familiar with my reviews have probably noticed that I pretty much destroy derivative albums. I mean, why buy a cheap imitation when you can have the real thing? In the world of heavy music, often the real thing is easier to get and cheaper. There is of course something to be said about a proper execution. It’s an extremely difficult route that rarely pays off. Finding an album that’s a great representation of a genre, yet adds nothing to the current musical field is like finding a needle in a needlestack.
On “Terra Necrosis”, NOMINON plays the style of old-school European death metal to a T. About the only things they do that might be considered even slightly different are the nuances of punky death ‘n roll styled chords every now and then, or the promo tag described addition of “brutality”. So you can expect some riffs to be exchanged for simpler power chords running up and down the guitars, and some tempo changes every now and then that lead to a death metal style breakdown. While these are things some people might pick out if they’re really paying attention (or if someone were to actually care that much), the overall sum of “Terra Necrosis” is still old-school European death metal all the way.
After that, NOMINON plays everything as by the book as possible. You can expect those buzzin’ double distortion guitar tones that should sound like they could be screaming at any minute with feedback. I love that sound, and I hate the fact that for some reason, that specific guitar tone gives me a headache. Most of the songs don’t have blast beats, right along with those tremolo picked riffs, gargly vocals, and those reverb laden guitar solos with whammy dives, all with just the right production. I normally don’t like to mention production, but since I’ve dealt with so much underground death metal where something isn’t recorded properly, or there’s a snare drum sound that resembles a click, it’s nice to hear a change of pace from a band that isn’t well known.
What makes “Terra Necrosis” so great is the fact that everything is executed so well, with so many catchy hooks, and well-arranged songs that come full-circle on themselves, I find myself completely forgetting how derivative it could sound. This is the album I wish DISMEMBER would’ve made with “The God That Never Was”. Now if only someone could convince NOMINON get a new album cover that doesn’t have a grim reaper and a scythe. Sorry guys I’ll let you get away with every death metal standard but that one.
8/10
