Review: The Necromancers ‘Where The Void Rose’
Nerd alert, the Necromancer was always a favorite character of mine when playing the Diablo series. Needless to say, the band The Necromancers naturally stood out to me as a band I would most likely love. I first listened to Servants Of The Salem Girl and the opening riff was all I needed. I quickly consumed both albums as much as I possibly could and loved every second of it. When the band announced a third album was due, I couldn’t wait!
The email arrived for Where The Void Rose promo and Lee was kind enough by sending it over immediately. I popped in my headphones and listened right away. As I said earlier, it took only seconds for me to appreciate the debut album and become a fan. I expected the same when I started Where The Void Rose. I initially enjoyed the album, but after a few listens, the album began to really sink its roots in, and I truly appreciated what I was hearing. It may be my favorite The Necromancers album.
Sunken Huntress kicks things off with energy. A catchy riff begins the song with the band shortly after. The raspy vocals of Basile Chevalier-Coudrain (vocals, guitar) chime in and we have ourselves a hard rocking song underway. The tone and catchy riff give me a strong Valley Of The Sun vibe while the composition and vocals lead me to a more Witchcraft vibe, especially off the Legend album. The quartet have channeled two big inspirations of mine while adding their own unique twist on the music. Off to a great start!
A chugging riff begins Crimson Hour. Harmonic lead is peppered in by Robin Genais (lead guitar) to add layered depth. Chevalier-Coudrain sings a clean melody over the top and on occasion, kicks his voice into high gear. I imagine him stepping on a fuzz pedal to achieve these vocal tones. He has a wide range and doesn’t mind showing it off a bit, especially on this song. The band is locked in flawlessly weaving through the dynamic changes and keeping you interested throughout.
The first single released off the album is The Needle and its third track. I didn’t listen to it when it initially came out (as hard as that was), I wanted to hear the album from the beginning, the first time. I’m glad I did because (as most singles tend to be) it’s not my favorite on Where The Void Rose. It’s catchy, fast moving and definitely grabs your attention. It’s got everything I love The Necromancers for, but it just didn’t stick with me like most of their music. With that said, I mentioned this album is a grower and maybe I just haven’t listened to it enough yet.
The moving chugs, with ringing out distorted chords in between, leave chills in its wake…
The intro to Orchid however gets me back on track and I’m immediately intrigued by the spacey intro. It’s a nice break from the intensity of The Needle but a startling explosion of music snapped me right out of that. The song is intense but slows the pace a little and keeps a futuristic vibe despite the heavier distortion. I admit I get a little rock opera vibe. Halfway through there is a sudden revert back to the beginning. Simon Evariste (bass) rumbles deep and penetrates the body making your bones vibrate. The low-end melds into the rhythm guitar and drums, while Genais plays beautiful clean lead over the top. A steady crescendo closes out the song and sets up the second to last song like Scottie Pippin setting up Michael Jordan for a slam dunk (I’m old).
Where the Void Rose is the title track and starts off with a slow and simple beat by drummer Benjamin Rousseau. Serene guitars weave in and out with a short tease at the power that’s to come at 1:35. A quick switch of pace occurs shortly after, and chaos ensues. This song really shows the incredible musicianship of Rousseau. He seamlessly switches from a straightforward beat to mayhem without interruption. Throughout the song he plays fairly gently, while other on tracks, I’m surprised a drum kit is still sitting in front of him. I focus on Rousseau on this track because that’s where my ear went, but all four musicians are so locked in with each other while switching gears on a dime and as a guitarist who has trouble linking riffs together, this blows my mind.
Concluding the album is Over The Threshold. The five plus minute closer is action packed and has some of the best guitar solos I’ve heard from this band. I particularly love how the dialed in toned solo gets chopped up by a fast tremolo and still plays on. It sounds so cool. Immediately following is one of my favorite riffs. The moving chugs, with ringing out distorted chords in between, leave chills in its wake. The album closes out with a groovy bass line, chugging riff, powerful drums, and those raspy vocals that hit just right. A perfect ending!
The Necromancers build on their core sound with new elements and have created an album that will please old fans while obtaining (hopefully) many new ones. There’s a lot of great music coming out this month but mark September 16th in your calendar and give Where The Void Rose a spin or two because I feel you won’t regret it!
Label: Independent
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram
Scribed by: Josh Schneider
