Blood Ties
xdementia | July 12, 2007
Necromondo is zombie obsessed death industrial. From the succinct design work that adorns the standard jewel case depicting nightmarish comic-book influenced zombie renderings to the detailed track names like “A Fistful of Intestines” the release screams bloody murder and revels in it. Most of the sounds have a very digital feel to them, which is surprising because most things with this kind of aesthetic are usually die hard analog enthusiasts. But the equipment is something that Necromondo comfortably uses to his advantage to create great solid tracks of throbbing and bubbling synth swells.
My first reaction was that the material here most closely resembles that of Klinikal Skum's Pulsating CDR but over the course of the album the other influences like those of Atrax Morgue begin to seep in. However, it isn't until “Standard Post-Mortem Re-Animation Procedure” that things really start to get weird. A muffled drum loop is joined by vocal groans and moans making me think that there must be something sneaking up behind me. I feel like Necromondo's use of samples here is something that is often hinted at in horror-influenced industrial music but I don't think I've ever heard it actually done in this strait forward of a manner, let alone this damn well.
There are a lot of unique atmosphere's here that step outside the realm of I would consider death industrial, while still staying within the confines of the genre, in other words, definitely breaking new ground. I really enjoy just about every track here, but the highlights are “Theme for a Machete” with it's sick pitch shifting walls of dirty drone and industrial hits, the aforementioned “Standard Post-Mortem Re-Animation Procedure,” “Feeding Frenzy” which wanders into the louder realm of things successfully with some ultra heavy throbbing electronics and eerie feedback melodies, and “Leech Scars And Cigarette Burns” with its great use of watery-bloody samples.
I really can't find a weak spot here in terms of composition, it's all very well thought out and executed with a ton of very eerie moments. The only complaint lies in the production, it's a little quiet and somehow too soft, the harsh parts don't really blow me off my feet, but it's a minor detail in the big picture.
Necromondo has crafted my dream score to any and all zombie flicks here with precision, technique and a unique touch. If you are at all into zombies, or death industrial I would strongly suggest not to miss out on this one.
