Unless you are an alien from another planet, I doubt MASSACRE needs an introduction. Formed in 1984 when I was still dumping out into my pants, the band has been vomiting out death metal for decades with a ton of demos, EPs, compilations, and live albums. Their latest album, “Necrolution,” marks their fifth full-length album. Now that I'm ever-approaching an age where I’ll be going back to dumping into my pants, I find it reassuring that some things never change. MASSACRE is one of those things; “Necrolution” offers rock-solid death metal that is finely tuned to destroy. Of course, with a band full of legends, I’d expect nothing less. Kam Lee is on vocals, both Rogga Johansson and Jonny Pettersson on guitars. In addition, Mike Borders plays bass and Jon Rudin handles drums so pedigree here is outstanding.

It’s also an album of “what you see (hear) is what you get.” They have already helped invent the genre once so they don’t owe anyone anything other than no-frills old-school death metal and that is 100% what happens across the album's 16 song, 46 minute runtime. “Fear Of The Unknown,” kicks the album off with the only way it can: pummeling grooves, lighting fast drumming and disgusting vocals. The song grows more intense as it moves forward, picking up all the bodies they have crushed and repurposing them. The chorus is surprisingly catchy, both the chanting of the album’s title and the fantastic riffs behind it.

The large number of songs on the album isn’t as bad or exhaustive as it may first seem because many of them are either short ragers or prologues. I could do without the prologues to be honest but the actual short songs are good. Case in point are “Ensnarers Within,” and “Death May Die.” The former begins pummeling, displaying its brutality within about one second. All the riffs are solid and their transitions from death metal to a more thrashy style are blistering! The latter is a two minute long explosion with an insane performance from Kam.

The album remains consistent all the way through with some of the late songs being certifiable bangers as well. “The Things That Were And Shall Be Again,” has got to be one of the best songs they have ever done! The band is zeroed in on the cadence of the vocals, and many of the drum parts are surprisingly catchy. The riffs alternate between speed, groovy, and slower tempos that results in the song having an energetic, off-kilter feel. “Dead-Life ReAnimator,” is another standout. The lead guitar’s tone is horrific and perfect for the song’s disturbing approach. The overlaying of vocals adds an extra hellish layer to the song, making the atmosphere sulfuric and deadly.

The final song, “Ad Infinitum The Final Hour,” begins as a slow crusher—I really like it when the band explores these more doom-ish tempos and it would be very cool if they put on a death doom album. The tempo does speed up, offering a double edge sword of extremity that will satisfy any fan of death metal. As expected, “MASSACRE’s “Necrolution,” is a solid representation of how the old-guards of the genre remain very much active and capable of still schooling the new generation.