Review by Felix on July 19, 2021.

In the early years of my interest in heavy metal, I always found it peculiar when, as in the case of Motörhead, only one original member remained in the line-up. That wasn't a real band at all! Or was it? Well, I had just got used to such constellations when Protector - even before Venom! - managed to record an album with a line-up that had no overlap with the musicians of the first official release (Misanthropy). Of course, personnel instability also indicates musical unpredictability. Olly Wiebel, the new strong man at Protector, at least felt obliged to the band's heritage and the legacy of Michael Hasse (R.I.P.), who died much too early, to the extent that there were no fundamental changes in the sound after A Shedding Of Skin. However, the borders to death / thrash were explored more than before. This was expressed in partly completely absurd speeds. The new trio often rushed through their songs as if they feared their predecessors were chasing them to steal their instruments. On the altar of absolute harshness, even the catchy elements that A Shedding Of Skin had in parts were sacrificed without hesitation. As a result, the album, appropriately titled in view of the changes in persons and the death of Hasse, sounds relatively flat at times. The new Protector do not succeed in burying themselves permanently in the listener's memory.

It so happens that a rather atypical, almost groove-oriented piece provides a small highlight on The Heritage. 'Convicts On The Street' rocks through the prairie in mid-tempo until shortly before the end. Of course, it can't be done completely without high speed, but at least Wiebel and his colleagues show for once that they at least have an idea that a chorus with recognition value doesn't have to be a mistake. This laconic remark is not meant to indicate that the rest of the album is for the barrel. At the beginning, the absolute vehemence also has a refreshing note. 'Mental Malaria' opens the album well and coherently. Furthermore, it transports an anarchic punk note, which has always suited Protector well from time to time (think of 'Space Cake'). Over the length of an entire album, however, a uniformity spreads that does not inspire pressing the repeat button on the CD player. Even small moments of surprise like the solo performance by drummer Marco in 'Chronology' or the solid, Living Death compatible, instrumental 'Palpitation' only help to a limited extent.

The Heritage lacks the power of A Shedding Of Skin and the haunting element of Golem. Equipped with a solid, but by no means excellent production, which could unfold a little more pressure, it is nevertheless an acceptable disc, which in any case does not lack authenticity. Protector drove a remarkably rigorous course here in 1993 - Kreator had released "Renewal" a year earlier, which almost says it all. So, there may well be reasons for speed fanatics to rediscover The Heritage for themselves. Especially since the 'Outro' is so wonderfully stolen from Slayer's 'Hardening Of The Arteries' that you have to admire the band's audacity at the very least.

Rating: 6.9 out of 10

Review by Michael on April 24, 2025.

Five long years after Misanthrophic Breed the morbid storytellers Lik are back with a vengeance. Kicking off with "Deceased" we all get want we want to hear. Some classic HM-2 riffs in the vein of Dismember, super groovy and peppered with some malevolent vocals and painful screams. That's a really good one to start with and puts the bar pretty high for the rest of the album. Also "War Praise" goes into the same direction although the guitar leads are more Maidenesque, just like what Dismember did on their 1995 release "Massive Killing Capacity". Damn, this one is already thirty years old but it still kicks ass. And just like they did back a long time ago, the same do Lik on Necro: taking out some speed here and there to focus more on some groovy, a certain morbidity spreading atmosphere in some of their songs. Of course you can find a lot of brutality in the aforementioned songs and some others but this may be their most diverse album so far.

It starts at the halftime of the album with "Morgue Rat". This one is almost some kind of death metal blues, like a ghastly poisonous fog creeping out of a spooky crypt to infect and possess some harmless victims. That one is a really evil and slow song with very sinister vocals and sick guitars which also could have been on Autopsy's "Mental Funeral".

Another doomy one is "In Ruins" and if you just listen to the first seconds of that song, you should be having one certain British band in mind which brought death-doom to life. Got it? Yes, sure, I mean Paradise Lost. That's just a snapshot of the song because that reminiscence doesn't last too long but the Swedes have a good reason to quote Paradise Lost. Why? Well, they got Nick Holmes as guest vocalist on that song.

But that's it with the slower funeral dances. Between these two songs are some other breakers like "Shred To Pieces" that works like a strong cup of coffee to get you out of the doom-laden trance and also a song like "The Stockholm Massacre" wakes you up again.

Also the production is super powerful, the guitars sound super buzzsawing and the drums mostly are thundering like hell. Only the cymbals sometimes sound a little bit tinny. Also the vocals are clear to understand and sound very dark and sick. All in all this one is a rich and saturated production no one should be complaining about.

It becomes pretty clear that Lik have widened their musical influences on Necro so it takes a little bit more time to get into the album. It isn't such a straightforward thing like their masterpiece Carnage or its predecessor but still really kicks ass. Maybe the one or the other may not be too happy with the slower songs (especially those who adore "Carnage") but at the right time, they show the right effect. Especially the album closer "Rotten Inferno" with its super atmospheric outro turned out great.

Rating: 8 out of 10