Alchemyst - Nekromanteion

Sounding like the musical account of an estranged voice stranded in Hell with the devil`s own choir, this album eschews conventional song structures and follows it`s own left hand path, the shouted vocals relaying themes of fire, blood, snakes and the underworld atop some very infernal sounding blackened death metal.

Standout for me would be the stark centerpiece `Circle of Elements` but the whole album is jarring, in a good way, and it`s a stretch to put into words just how malevolent this is. Alchemyst aren`t a band that strive to sound evil - they just DO.

That said, `Nekromanteion` isn`t for everyone, and due to it`s inaccessability (even in extreme metal terms) even those who DO jibe with this will probably find themselves playing it sparingly. Those with the inclination and patience to look past the murky exterior, however, will likely find a diabolical gem beneath.


7/10