Swedish titans NECROPHOBIC reap otherworldly shades within their latest manifestation titled In the Twilight Grey, and they are immersed right at the onset when an eerie-noted calm launches into orchestrations of chaos and shadow. These forces take effect at varying levels through a rhythmic versatility, with blast beats and double bass driving the hostility around tremolo ice storms, and slower entrancing paces compound the brutality of certain riffs while also expanding the dismal void projected by others. Some of those grooves align with the classic metal traces noted among NECROPHOBIC’s approach to extremity, and “As Stars Collide” is one piece capturing this element, along with fretted constellations that reflect a capacity for dense melodic substance around the subtle ambience of its night sky.
Darkness coalesces notably in the depths of “Shadows of the Brightest Night,” and its malign distortions progress toward soaring leadwork that favorably joins grandeur to the menace. Soloing is key to the mesmerism induced by each hymn, with another shredding exhibition on “Mirrors of a Thousand Lakes” striking mightily among ritualized drum variations, and this virtuosity also acts as an extension of the melodies proliferating across many domains. These create alluring liminal spaces within the soundscapes that include an arpeggiated splendor on “Nordanvind,” and its lighter tone is effectively contrasted through riff formations thrashing rhythmically around the prevailing bleakness. Harsh vocal powers match the aural dynamics throughout, and they invoke madness amid the tortuous intensity arranged on the title track, which culminates melodically in noted elevations to bring an end radiating in dark triumph.
The aftermath is surveyed during an outro, where organs and leads join with other features to create a definitively haunting dose of atmosphere, and it effectively punctuates a collective that further explores the nether regions around death and a dark mythos lyrically. The course of consistent quality seized across NECROPHOBIC’s works stands relentlessly on In The Twilight Grey, with its own distinct spirit forged as different combinations of melody and atmosphere are balanced amid the fury, and that presence is easily a welcome addition to their legendary archive.
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