When dealing with Death Metal, one must have in mind what are the waves of the genre: the First Wave happened between 1982-1983 and 1987, when the first bands of the genre (DEATH, POSSESSED, MASSACRE, MASTER, and some others) who created the genre gathering influences from early Black Metal, Thrash Metal and Heavy Metal; and the Second Wave, who arose into underground from 1986, when the genre seemed to be dead (due the lack of covering of magazines in the 80s), concreted the genre and that took the world by assault from 1989 on. So to speak of Old School Death Metal acts demands some care, because you must address to one of these waves (or both of them). And the from Romania comes NECROTUM, a trio that unleashes a violent work with “Defleshed Exhumation”,

The band worked with Filip Garlonta (recordings) and Uriel Aguillon (mixing, mastering) on the studio, and the efforts were done in a way to summon a model of sonority for Death Metal that relies on 90s sonorities of European bands: harsh, crude and aggressive, but trying to make things understandable, and with nasty instrumental tunes used on the recordings. Things worked on a very good way, indeed. And the artwork is a combination of efforts between Slimeweaver (cover art) and Skaðvaldur Art (layout), and the sick appeal shown will hook Death metal fans for sure. The trio’s music relies on a form of Old School Death Metal that binds together elements of the First and Second Wave of the genre (but with some Groove moments, as clearly heard on “Dissolved in the Flesh Pits”). The formula is already known, the band doesn’t offer anything different from what already exists, but its energy and appeal are very good, and the fans of the genre will surely hold no complains about it.

It’s caustic and destructive appeal will get Death Metal fans by the ears, especially on songs as “Warped in Entrails” (it’s rich in nasty guitar arrangements, using a brutal and oppressive outfit), “Noxious Breeze” (where the influences of North American acts as IMMOLATION are clear on the instrumental arrangements, and what brutal approach on the rhythms), “Incomprehensible Forms” (a simple and efficient track with nasty grunts in a way similar to Ross Dolan and Mike Saez), “Dissolved in the Flesh Pits” (here are some groove parts that are usual for Old School Death Metal acts, even with some trying to erase such feature due radical preaching of many), “Shattered Flow of Time” (some Grindcore hooks can be heard on this one), and “Ghastly Metropolis”. But their version for DEMIGOD’s “As I Behold I Despise” is very good as well.

Of course, “Defleshed Exhumation” isn’t here to unleash a new Death Metal wave, but for sure there will be a place for NECROTUM in Death Metal fans’ hearts.