Necromaniac: Sciomancy, Maledictions and Rites Abominable

One of the knocks on the Heavy music scene these days is that extreme metal has become overly sanitized. It can be over-produced and too glossy. They'll say there is no danger in the music due to the quantisized, sample-replaced drums and heavily edited guitars - the naysayers will say modern extreme metal is too perfect and therefore lifeless. If these complaints ring true to you, then Necromaniac's long-awaited full-length Sciomancy, Maledictions and Rites Abominable will be the perfect antidote.

Necromaniac is based in London but is a veritable United Nations for cult extreme metal, with members with origins from around the globe. Their new album sounds like a mid-80s cult classic both in terms of the production and the early-extreme style of the music, harking back to an era before Thrash, Death Metal and Black Metal started to exist in discreet pigeon-holes. I'm picking up on a range of clear influences such as early Slayer, Possessed and Celtic Frost, with a sprinkling of Altars of Madness era Morbid Angel, early Mayhem, and a touch of the sort of completely unhinged aesthetic you'd find on early Impaled Nazarene or Sadistik Exekution records. Musically it's a thrashy album, with a proto-death and blackened edge. The lyrical themes are full of darkness, evil and occultism. The arrangements sound to my ears like the work of a band who are fanatical, and almost scholarly, when it comes to early, evil metal. There are strong influences on display throughout but I wouldn't ever say they get to the point of blatant imitation. It's no wonder the band has taken a long while to commit their full length to tape: these songs are quite epic in terms of arrangement and intent. The addition of Timpinis (very Celtic Frost), and synths add to the scale of the undertaking.

I can't wrap up a review of this album without nodding to the cited credits:

C. Howler: Throat Possessions, Black Arts Spells & Conjurer of the Restless Wraiths of the Abyss.
Sadistik Fornicator: Guitarmageddon, Keys of Death and Hades, Megalomantic Decompositions & Die-Hard Cult Leader.
The One: Basstard Tremblings, Necrophonous Disarray, Winds of Mayhem & Macabre Consigliere of Deadly Omens.
V. Pestilencia: Apocalyptic Drumonitions, Therianthropic Aural Assault & Morbid Coven Mediator.

A skim through those credits should compound any preconceived ideas about this band and the album. Necromaniac and their brand of 'Morbid Metal' is keeping the old school, cult metal torch burning brightly. Sciomancy, Maledictions and Rites Abominable is a very enjoyable listen. Shoutout to Ryan Skow and the SoT Review Crew for putting me onto this one. Highly recommend.

Track list
1. Caput Draconis
2. Daemonomantia
3. Grave Mound Oath
4. Calling Forth the Shade
5. Great Is The Thirst Of The Restless Dead
6. Teraphim (Skull Sorcery)
7. Conjuration Of St. Cyprian
8. Swedenborg’s Skull
9. Necromancess / Cauda Draconis

Added: February 12th 2025
Reviewer: Chris Reid
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 139
Language: english

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