In the 90s, the Metal scene of Austria revealed many new names as DREAMS OF SANITY, PUNGENT STENCH, DISHARMONIC ORCHESTRA, BELPHEGOR, ABIGOR, SUMMONING and others, creating then a scene that the entire world could see, and it seems that extreme genres are the most done there. And here is another name from the scene of Austria, the trio NEKRODEUS, here with its third album, “Ruaß”. Markus Matzinger worked on the recordings and mixing, while Roland Wiegner did the mastering, with everything done to make the album sounds intense, heavy and aggressive as well; but clean and defined for the sake of the hearers’ understanding. And the sinister artwork of Stefan Rindler gives a shape for the bands’ music.

As guests, here are Lukas L.G. Gosch (of ELLENDE and ROADKILL) on the vocals on “Frost”, Michael J.J. Kogler (of KARG and HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY) on the vocals on “Sternenleichen”, and Gernot Diepold, Matthias Krenn, Michael Jud, Mike Schmuck, Julia Schubatzky, Lea Wieser, Lebi, Lena Promitzer, Leopold Gölles, Rene Felberbauer, and Stefan Tomic on the additional vocals. It’s difficult to label the band’s music into a Metal genre. It could be said as a form of Blackened Death Metal with influences from Hardcore, D-Beat, some sharp traces of Black Metal, some atmospheric parts with Gothic elements (especially whispered vocals), some bits of Groove Thrash Metal, and many more. It’s aggressive and nasty, bleeding in raw energy, but contrasting with charming ambiences and atmospheric parts. It means that’s excellent, indeed.

The experience of listening to songs as “Abgrundmensch I”, “Sarg aus Fleisch”, “Frost”, “To Bite the Hand That Holds the Leash”, “Volkscancer”, “Abgrundmensch II”, “Astraldepression”, “Körperstrafe”, “Trümmerjugend”, “The Seeds of Your Own Destruction” and “Sternenleichen” is something excellent, because besides their ample set of influences, all converges in a very good a different from of Blackened Death Metal, and all of them are very good moments.

“Ruaß” is a surprising release, and the fans of extreme Metal tendencies must pay attention to NEKRODEUS’ music, indeed.