BAEST is a Danish death metal band and "Necro Sapiens" is their third full length album. Since forming in 2015, they have also released a demo and two Eps. Their sound is definitely on the old school side of the fence of death metal—and they are damn good at it. The guitar tone is the most striking element of this album....it is just is absolutely perfect.  And the riffs? They balance OSDM with modern sensibilities, especially in the production. Simply said, this album sounds fantastic.

Another element I appreciate is the tempo. Unlike so much other death metal, this doesn't go super fast all the time. As a whole I would say it is mid paced and moments of speed and even doom like cadence thrown in. This not only makes the album even more heavy but also let's the songs focus on being, well, songs. Each song is a well thought out composition and brings out the focus of the instruments.

"The Forge" is an intro that doesn't really do much for me and could have been left off the album altogether.  Another day, another intro, right?  However "Genesis" starts the album off right with HM2 riffs that are sharp as hell and surprisingly catchy. The vocals come in around the 1:16 mark with a growl so low it could uproot a mountain. The groove of this song is undeniable. The sudden burst of speed breaks up the tempo and bridges the song together.

The title track hits hard and fast, the bass guitar and double bass making it sound not unlike an earthquake ripping up the ground. The chorus will be stuck in your head for days which is a weird thing to say about death metal but its a further testament to the album's songs and the band's writing abilities. After the chorus comes a second time, the riffs break free and push the song in to a continued landscape of interesting death metal.

"Abattoir" brings the onslaught early with drums fading into the song, the impending death unstoppable.  The vocal patterns work well with the riffs. Speaking of which, the bass and guitars tear it up here with plenty of slightly melodic harmonies between the crushing weight of the riffs. "Towers of Suffocation" is one of the faster more brutal tracks on the album. The drums and guitars both double down on the speed in short focused bursts that add huge levels of intensity. And how about the songs mid portion? With the crazy melodic leads intersecting with each other? Well done! The solo isn't bad either and I liked how smoothly the song transitions back to the heavier side of song.

The final song is the lovely titled "Sea of Vomit." The riffs and especially the drums churn the atmosphere around not unlike raging, choppy waters. But with, you know, vomit.   This song is probably the most sweltering and most uncompromising of the bunch. The start and stopping movements of the riffs add to the devastating feel. The last minute of the song encompasses and hypnotizes while also being a battering ram

BAEST's "Necrosapiens" is an impressive death metal album that worships the old school gods that came before while forging a path of its own. With bands and albums like this on the roster, it looks like Century Media is once again getting back into the death metal game.  Highly recommended