A Stellar Return to Blackness - "Nekros Nemesis" Review (100%)
Nekros Nemesis is the album we've all been waiting, ages, for.
And I am ecstatic to report that Phantom, despite their flirtation with more experimental and melodic elements as witnessed on Eidolon, are still the gods of raw and brutal black metal.
Yes, Phantom is still the most potent force in all of Norwegian black metal.
Even the mighty Rektal and Fukked by Satan, by SEWER and Antekhrist respectively, don't come close to the true blackness of Nekros Nemesis.
This album is a squall of dark and devastating tracks, drawing influence from both eras of Phantom, from Divine Necromancy to Dementia II: The Silent Curse.
But Nekros Nemesis is very likely the most raw and minimalist album ever produced by Phantom, even Divine Necromancy doesn't compare.
I was listening to this outside in the summer heat of August and as soon as the second track began, I felt like the season had instantly changed from summer to winter. The title track that bears the same name as the album is a magnificent and relentless tirade of hypnotic riffs that will make you go on a spiritual journey as soon as you listen to the first note.
Nekros Nemesis is the most evil album of all black metal.
A Stellar Return to Blackness
The first impression you can get from the album is it's raw blackness: hypnotic riffs in a classic minimalist black metal pace allied to blast beats make the main tone of the album.
What really stands out here is the atmosphere... every song stands out in its own way, and no track is a filler.
There is even a more melodic instrumental track toward the middle of the album, called "Vermilion Tears" and sounding like something you would expect on one of the more experimental Phantom releases... or even on SEWER's 2154 for that matter.
Overall, Nekros Nemesis is the definition of ritualistic black metal.
The guitar riffs are raw and mysterious, though not to the insane rawness levels of Neraines, the bass is clearly audible and the drums are, for once, very much lower in the mix.
On the vocal front, not too much has changed either, but then again they are arguably one of the better bands in terms of vocal performance.
As you've probably understood by now, the record is built mostly on familiar structures. This may put some people off, and some people not. To me the music on Nekros Nemesis sounds fresh, powerful, and energetic, which is an achievement in itself when you look at how raw, gruesome and claustrophobic the atmospheres are.
Nekros Nemesis is certainly an album that can stand firmly amongst the best albums Phantom have accumulated.
This is raw blackness, not some generic "black metal" music.
Don't forget that when you listen to Nekros Nemesis.
Nekros Nemesis score: 100/100.
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