Escalation

Escalation seems like the perfect title for the third Necronomicon full-length, due to its direct correlation to the quality of the album. After a pair of duds in the debut Necronomicon and the well meaning sophomore Apocalyptic Nightmare, the Germans had hit their stride, no longer just a mirror of the better known Destruction, but a band with something of worth to offer on their own. That's not to say that they had suddenly bloomed into a garden of innovation and supreme songcraft, because this is still not a top shelf release, yet it's the first of their effort that I'd honestly label entertaining and fun. It's also the last in their deal with Gama Records, but despite a few reissues, the album has sadly gathered no moss as it rolled down the heights into obscurity.

The band was down to a three piece here, with Volker Fredrich and Jürgen Weltin picking up the bass duties from the departed Lars Honeck. Fredrich still sounds mildly similar to Schmier of Destruction, and yet he's acquired a harsher, standout bark to his tone that ends itself towards an individual distinction. There are also a number of well-placed gang shouts here that propel his presence quite nicely ("Death Toll", "Black Frost", "Murder of Profit"). But most importantly, where the band always seemed to have a problem plotting out convincing songs before, they've really gelled here. Each of the tracks holds its own weight in riffs, and half of them are actually memorable. "Death Toll" has some great guitars and bass, whether they're thrusting along the speedway of the bridge or chopping out the slower verse chugging. "Skeletal Remains" is the closest to Destruction, but nonetheless excellent; "Mosh the ABC" defies its terrible title with bristling energy; "...And the Night Will Be Silent" reminds me of old Slayer, Hell Awaits era, but with gang shouts and more melody. "Cold Ages (Darkland III)" is a fitting sequel to the band's ongoing series, superior to either of the previous chapters.

Perhaps the one glaring and awkward song here is "Dirty Minds", which feels like sort of punk rock corny anthem, despite the fact that it veers off into perfectly acceptable territory. No one wants to hear Fredrich making such sounds as he does before the verse, even if he compensates with wicked laughter. Strangely, there are a few decent riffs tucked in there, and had it gone for a straight up German mid paced metal track like S.A.D.O. would write, it might have worked. Otherwise, the album is consistently well executed, with great leads and a fine, airy, lo-fi tone that doesn't betray the rugged roots of their prior works. Necronomicon might not be an A-list thrash act for their nation, never spoken of in the same breaths as Kreator, Sodom or Tankard; but Escalation is their crown jewel, the first album you should check out if you've seen the name and manifested some interest. It's fun, it's not too serious, and it's more than capable of whipping up a headbanging storm from anyone into that age old German tone.

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Escalation is undoubtedly a great thrash metal album. It follows almost the same formula through the eight tracks, although each track has its own charm and force that makes you headbang or at least tap with your foot –mostly– all the time.

Memorable and razorblade-like riffs, galloping basslines and precise drumming are some of the qualities that can be found here. Everything sounds clear and no instrument overlaps the another (bass is present and loud enough, which is something that few bands actually have in account). Because of that, Escalation enjoys of a healthy wall of sound that would please any thrash metal fan. Volker's approach is quite similar to that of countrymen Mille/Schmier (mostly Schmier), while retaining a lot of creativity on the gang chorus department as said by the other reviewers. That's one of the reasons why I like this album more than those of Kreator, Destruction or Sodom, besides the musical quality itself. Particularly, I find drummer Axel Strickstrock way more consistent than Tommy Sandmann or Ventor Reil, but that's just a personal appreciation.

Some of the best songs are Death Toll, with its sort of melancholic riff beginning at the 3:52 mark and ending twenty seconds later. A little bit short, but sweet. The subsequent riffs are very cool also. Darkland III should be more known among classic metal aficionados, because it's truly epic and moving. Almost seven minutes of pure genius, laying down once again memorable riffs and gang choruses that make you wanna sing along. Skeletal Remains has a great double bassdrum intro that leads into a thrash beast. Again, great gang choruses. And last but not least, Mosh The ABC is one of the shortest tracks but for sure will make you headbang like a maniac whit its relentless speed, and its outro is quite funny.

I think that Dirty Minds is somehow the only throwaway track. It's not that good, because of its hard rock influence which doesn't fit the overall vibe of Escalation. But despite of that minor failure, it's a highly recommended album for thrash / classic metal listeners.

This album is pretty much at the triple point (oh shit, a chemistry reference... society, what have you done to me????) of heavy metal, where thrash, speed, and power metal can all exist concurrently.

For the most part I'd call this a power-metal album, thanks to the melodic overtones that are straight out of the first-Helloween album except not quite as fast, thus I can't really call it speed metal, except for the parts that ARE speed metal, like the main riff of "Murder of Profit" or "Death Toll", or pretty much the main backbone riff of all the songs is actually basically the same, a sort of thrash-speed hybrid not unlike that of old Destruction except not quite as thrashy. This isn't a really creative album, though when they mix in a different riff, like the Quintessential Power Metal Riff (think "Two Minutes to Midnight" meets half of Ample Destruction meets even the first riff of Overkill by Overkill (not Overkill by Motorhead)) in "And the Night Will be Silent".

Then there are the thrash breaks, like the aforementioned "Death Toll", or the next song, "Black Frost", or even the not quite as overt but nonetheless thrash riff in "And the Night Will Be Silent". So, point proven, it's the logical mixture of the three basic styles of heavy metal of the 80s. It's something that is unequivocally metal, and pretty German too when all is said and done. Again, the main riffage is a speedier Destruction, but the vocals and also the guitar licks are more melodic. Sometimes it's the bass that plays the main bludgeon riff while the guitar goes off and plays some quick interlude.

Oh yeah, these guys have the idea of a gang chorus down to a fucking art form. I have no idea what they are actually saying most of the time, especially in the first song, Death Toll ("tombstone's the limit"?!??). By far highlight of the album right there, because the thrash part is a real fucking monster, and it's 6 minutes and stays interesting, and it's really a thrash classic when all is said and done. LET'S GO! FUCK THE TORTURE!!

As for the rest - it kinda fades after that but still maintains a decent level that stays above mediocrity. It's not something I'd pop in every week like, for example, Product of Imagination (the quintessential German power/speed/thrash triple-point album) but still, it goes to show that those Germans of the mid-1980s could do no WRONG (well, except maybe Vectom, ha!). Even the average of the subgenre, like this album, is still pretty fucking good.