Peccata Mundi

This is retarded. I can't think of a single reason to listen to this. 'Peccata Mundi' is maybe the most generic melodic black/death album I've ever heard, and I've heard a lot in the same boring-ass style. And as far as boring goes, this is King Banal Of Prosaic Mountain. There are no redeeming qualities to this album apart from being relentlessly inoffensive and tepid. I've never been so angry at an album for not making me angry at all.

Necromicon plays a completely listless form of generic Swedish melodeath with some small influences from the Greek black metal scene, and the result is an album that could be used to interrogate prisoners over in Guantanamo Bay. I was able to make my way through this album two and a half times before I said to myself, "No, this is shit," and deleted it from my computer. This is stupid and unnecessary. Not once during those agonizing two and a half plays did I find anything even remotely interesting to comment on. Oh, wait, there is one thing: the cover art is really, really stupid. Aside from that, nothing.

All the riffing is dumb palm-muted power chord stuff derived from European power metal, the vocals are mildly harsh growls, the drumming and the bass are just sort of there, and there's a lot of fruity keyboards that never seem to go away. I can not possibly imagine who this album is supposed to appeal to, because literally EVERYONE who has even a passing interest in metal has heard better music than this. Maybe at one point in the future Necromicon will master the art of writing riffs that one can remember WHILE THEY'RE BEING PLAYED. This just sucks, don't waste your time.

I went out today for my weekly vinyl-hunting with my mate. I usually look for second-hand offers or for exceptional records that I know they are worth their money. I found this one brand new and sealed in the offers stand and I got it for 3 euros. I had never heard of Necromicon before and upon asking the seller he said they play thrash metal. Well I thought, for three euros it can't be bad. And now, after the second listening I think this one is a bargain.

For a start they do not play thrash metal, they play a mix of progressive, symphonic and black metal. The rhythms tend to be more symphonic and progressive rather than black metal (although you get the classic black metal bursts with fast guitars and pounding drums) and the sound of the guitars is definitely black (and death) metal. And when I say symphonic I do not mean Dimmu Borgir-like symphonic, with a real orchestra, real instruments and female vocals, but keyboard-like symphonic (although in a couple of songs I think they use real instruments like piano).

Keyboards are used wisely in order to create this harmony and symphony and they're definitely filling in the music where the guitars keep the rhythm. I mean you won't find keyboards covering basic parts of music, e.g. when there is a solo, but mainly when there are guitar breaks or the riffs are changing.

The guitar/bass/drum sound is not something unique, it is the typical black/death metal sound with loads of distortion and vocally-wise they use typical black/death metal vocals. The production is very good and clean (so everything can be heard very clearly) and lyrically-wise they are talking about the occult and sins of the world (I think Peccata Mundi means “sins of the world”).

As an overall if you are a typical brutal black/death metal (or a die-hard progressive metal) fan I do not think you are going to like this album. However you might find a few very good ideas and songs. On the other hand if you are fan of the symphonic metal genre and you like more experimental and progressive music mixed with heavy sound then this will probably get your attention. It's not something unique but it will appeal to you.