Review by Felix on February 11, 2020.

First things first: the melody of “Follow the Call…” sounds exactly like the typical “medieval lines” of Desaster. The guitar creates this melancholic and I-see-only-the-shapes-of-the-castle-in-the-fog feeling that Sonderkommando Kuschke brought into the scene. Moreover, as the track gets wild, it also lies in very close proximity to the brutal parts of the so-called medieval songs of Desaster. This is slightly dubious on the one hand; on the other hand it means that we are listening to a wonderful example of black thrash metal. By the way, the opening riff of the closer also reminds me of another track (“Under the Hammer of Gore”, Chainsaw, Greece), but that’s surely a coincidence. Better still, this tune with its hymnal yet inciting chorus also constitutes a fantastic point of orientation. These two tracks at the end of the running order make a good album even more enjoyable. Friends of the first Quintessenz full-length will love it, but they will not be the only ones.

Frankly speaking, I was not sure whether or not it would be necessary to lend an ear to A Thousand Pyres, because the debut of the duo was okay, but it was this kind of okay that means the-album-is-not-very-exciting-but-I-am-too-lazy-to-pick-out-another-CD-from-my-shelf. Summoning Hell did not suffer from severe mistakes and the same can be said about the new work. But, and here comes the difference, A Thousand Pyres marks the first step of the band out of the unmanageable crowd of solid yet interchangeable formations. The title track or “Scorn and Wrath” have stirring, powerful guitar lines that lend the material an individual face, at least to a certain extent. The same goes for the pounding chorus of “Dark Forces”. Cobwebbed sounds drone out of the mausoleum that once (probably 1990 / 1991) was built in the erroneous assumption that both thrash and black metal were not comatose but dead. Nocturnal Witch keep the fire burning and fortunately, the production underlines the musical approach fittingly in view of its comparatively warm touch. Warm yet mighty and strict, of course. It also goes without saying that the mix does not render homage to purity or transparency. Nocturnal Witch emanate this musty smell that other German bands, for instance Eurynomos or Megatherion, also like to spread (and I already mentioned that Desaster seem to be an inspiring unit for the protagonists of the here reviewed output).

38 minutes are an appropriate length for an album that wants nothing else to be but another chapter in the book of black thrash. No doubt, it is a well written chapter, every paragraph is interesting to read and holds relevant information. The authors are on a good way and I have the feeling that they are men of conviction. Expressed differently, I will keep my eyes open for their third full-length. This band does not lack honesty and due to its obviously increasing song-writing abilities – the album is free from flops - their next work can become a real jewel of the bastard genre. Until then, it feels good to get the daily shit out of the head by listening to A Thousand Pyres.

Rating: 8.1 out of 10

Review by Felix on February 15, 2021.

Another band joins the relatively exclusive club of those who have released at least ten long-playing records. Necronomicon, Destruction's geographical and stylistic neighbours, strike up The Final Chapter. I can't say whether it's the quartet's farewell work. The title suggests it is, but there are no other indicators. Yet it doesn't matter, because even if the colleagues around Freddy would only concentrate on the after-work beer from now on, I would still be spared from depression. In other words, I admire Freddy's perseverance, but the group's compositional qualities were unfortunately never competitive when it came to spearheading German thrash metal. What that means in international comparison is anyone's guess.

The Final Chapter also exposes the song-writing weakness. 'I Am the Violence' opens the thrashy dozen with a one-note chorus that could hardly be worse. Why the group chose this song for the first position is not clear to the listener, because after the also insipid title track, the material gains in class (surprisingly). The old school thrash adds a touch of sharpness, power and cutting edge. 'Wall of Pain' not only has a strong riff, but also a pretty cool staccato bridge. A nonsensical spoken intro to 'Purgatory' immediately puts the brakes on the euphoria, but apart from the beginning, this track also knocks every schnitzel flat. 'Burning the Fury' is also fun. A strong riff rolls out the carpet for a guitar melody, then the double bass takes over and beats the track over the finish line.

At this point I must rudely interrupt myself. If anyone ever gets their hands on the biography that comes with the promo pack: don't believe a word of it. It is simply hogwash that "fans and media alike responded enthusiastically to the debut album". It's a lie that "the interest in the band continued to grow significantly worldwide" with the release of the second full-length (at least in Germany nobody took care of the band) and to call Escalation a "legendary album" (6 out of 10 points in the Rock Hard magazine) puts the crown on it all. The text continues in this tone, and with all due understanding of advertising, these lines border on body injury. I think Necronomicon would do themselves a favour to be realistic. They've never been a magnet for the masses, but their name always stood for an honest thrash band. That's okay, but then you can't throw honesty overboard in the promo text. Just my opinion.

Let's get back to the album which should have deserved a less generic artwork. 'Spilling Blood' illustrates the dilemma of the band while offering light and shadow simultaneously. The soft intro is going nowhere, until militaristic drum rolls add a threatening touch, the explosive chorus sounds great, but the stereotyped, wannabe emotional "ohoho" choirs after the second chorus do not send shivers down my spine, they just suck. Nevertheless, Necronomicon have forged a decent work. The majority of the tracks have some decent parts like the choruses of 'Selling Nightmares' or 'World on Fire' and honestly speaking, that's more than I expected. Apart from song details, Freddy still sounds like Schmier minus high-pitched screams, the technical skills of the formation are beyond doubt and the robust, transparent and guitar-dominated sound helps the album to make a statement. It's sad that Freddy never stood on the bright side of life with regard to Necronomicon – hopefully he did so in his private life – and it would take me by surprise if The Final Chapter would change this situation. It's an album that does not draw back on the punk elements of Necronomicon's early days. Instead, it's another dose of pure thrash with the fiery, compact 'Me Against You' as the final climax and that's a good thing – even if they will never reach the top of the bill.

Rating: 7.3 out of 10