By Oli Gonzalez
(Image: PHOTO CREDIT UNKNOWN]
Those close to the underground metal scene in Manchester will have come across Napierdalac at some point. Personally, my introduction came at a Metal To The Masses show and seeing the carnage they caused inside Rebellion on that night! As such, I was intrigued to see what they’ve been up to in the studio and what their upcoming single ‘Feasting Upon On The Corpse Of The Lord’ will conjure up. The theme of the song is not one of some sadistic cannibalistic wet dream. Instead, it’s an exploration of the idea of a world that’s finally freed itself from the oppressive stranglehold religion has on society. Not an entirely novel idea but one in which the band describe as one being close to them.
With a cinematic orchestral style opening, there’s a rather tense and somewhat unsettling undertone to this. Feeling like one to get you primed and ready for battle rather than listening to music, it grabs your attention for sure. These orchestral elements are symbiotic with Napierdalac’s sound, and have been a mainstay throughout their career. This synergy of extreme metal and symphonic will satiate fans of Dimmu Borgir and Septic Flesh alike. Then the more traditional distorted guitars force their way into the mix, as well as the familiar tremolo picked guitars you’d associated with the black metal genre. Whilst Bill’s vocals are consistently heavy throughout the mix, it’s difficult to feel any kind of connection to the lyrics due to the lack of diction and clarity in his voice. Though when he bellows out the line ‘purge all religious sons’ , you can’t not feel the venom and power behind this delivery. With the music slowing down to a glacial drip, this only magnifies the gravity of his voice, acting as the song’s crescendo. The aforementioned orchestral elements act as the melodic focal point to the music and there’s no doubt they’ll find a way to imprint their way onto your subconscious and stay there (the principle melody is ringing in my head as I type this).
The production values are respectable considering the resources available to the band, with a mix where no musician is outshined nor overpowered. Whilst there’s certainly areas that could do with a little more studio magic, the overall end product comes across as reasonably polished and sharp. After a brief dive into the band’s discography, it’s clear to see how this work in the studio has progressed and results in a more mature and cleaner sound.
Overall, this is certainly a respectable effort from a young and promising band.
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