Marasmus – Necrotic Overlord (Transcending Obscurity)

Monday, 29th March 2021
Rating: 8/10

Coming in six years after their last release, Conjuring Enormity, the frantic death metal squad of Marasmus has made their return. What made their last album a winner was the dedication to throttling speed and aggression, while sneaking in just a smidge of melodies to keep it from becoming that all too familiar death metal blur. The same formula rings true for Necrotic Overlord.

Intensity is law for the most part when it comes to Necrotic Overlord, and Marasmus wastes no time in ramping up the tempos and doling out some massive riffs. The immense wall of sound in a track like “Universal Deceit” is really what seals the whole deal. They can made it feel urgent at high speed, but still somehow bring in an even heavier form of devastation when they reel it in for a mid-tempo crusher. For many, that one piece will be enough. The air of the band is vehement and they roll like a tank. But for others, there’s more under the radar to discover. The use of melody is a subtle one, in such a way that you’d never really view it as a major influence, but the deviation between tracks is impressive. It is what separates Marasmus from the slew of acts that check the brutal death metal boxes. Some moments of slower atmosphere (“Appeasing Thanatos”), snippets of more blackened influence (“Pagan Orgies to Human Sacrifice”), and memorable leads/solos (“Carrion Ascension”) all do their part to keep the landscape a scathingly brutal one that holds up over the long-term.

Marasmus have come back with another excellent piece of full-blown death metal carnage with Necrotic Overlord. It captures all of the fury and destruction that one needs in a release like this, while still making sure that the experience is never a one-dimensional one. Hard to argue with such a well-rounded approach.

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