Country: Norway Release Date: 2004 Record Label: Candlelight Track list: Total playing time: 34:52 Band Website: Cadaver |
Cadaver - Necrosis Apollyon - Vocals and Bass Neddo - Guitar Balvaz - Guitar Czral - Drums Some bands get ignored because they lack the merit to become noticed. Others... I really have no idea why they get ignored. Take Norway 's Cadaver, for instance. Back in the early 90s, this band released two of the most forward-thinking and unique death metal albums of their time. 1990's 'Hallucinating Anxiety' had a lo-fi 'wall of noise' production, and was generally rough around the edges, but it had a percussive, dissonance-laden, jackhammer riffing style that was far removed from that of the band's Scandinavian contemporaries. The band was also not afraid to experiment, incorporating time signatures that went far beyond the standard 4/4 and 7/8 that most death metal bands operated with, and also using string instruments and horns [though sparingly] to create an atmosphere of genuine weirdness. The debut was officially released as the other half of a split with Carnage's 'Dark Recollections'... we all know which of the two albums received the most notoriety [which is not to say Carnage didn't deserve it, but surely Cadaver deserved more credit than they got.] A couple of years later, the band released '...In Pains', which featured superior musicianship, production and even stranger riffing than its predecessor. The album was released by Earache/Relativity, but again, did not sell particularly well. Perhaps at the time, people were simply not ready for Cadaver's brand of death metal. The band called it quits in 1993 or '94. Skip ahead to 2000, and Anders Odden, the main braintrust of Cadaver resurfaced with a new lineup, also featuring Carl-Michael "Czral" Eide and Ole Jörgen "Apollyon" Moe, who were infamous in the Norwegian extreme metal circuit for involvement in cutting-edge bands like Ved Buens Ende, Dødheimsgard and Fleurety. The trio was joned by a second guitarist who went by the name 'Balvaz', and called itself Cadaver Inc., and in one of the most amusing publicity stunts used a website that was fronted as an actual 'corpse disposal and murder scene cleanup service' to create a buzz for its album 'Discipline'. The album was a blistering assault of death and thrash metal, featuring the chaotic, discordant riffing style that made the original Cadaver so unique, played at ridiculous speeds, with superhuman tightness. Unfortunately, the album was overshadowed by the gimmicky website, which actually prompted a Norwegian federal inquiry into whether it was an actual business that they were operating through the site. The band ultimately had to change its name back to just Cadaver to avoid further intrigue, and were dropped from Earache yet again. This album, 'Necrosis', was finished as far back as 2002, but for whatever reason, the band was unable to find a label to release it. In 2004, though, Candlelight Records [which has quickly become my favorite metal label ever] agreed to release the album. It's a damn good thing they did, because this is Cadaver's best work ever. The music here is essentially a continuation of what was heard on 'Discipline'. In other words, another flurry of dissonant deathrash [think Voivod on meth], played with remarkable proficiency and energy. However, there are a few ways in which this album is set apart from its immediate predecessor. For one thing, where 'Discipline' had an effect-laden, futuristic, almost industrial texture to it, the production here is remarkably dry. It really almost hearkens back to the late 80s and early 90s, when thrash and death bands were divided over whether to use analog or digital equipment, and engineers were trying to find their trademark sounds. This is an album that was recorded and mixed on analog equipment, and very professionally - the sound clarity is remarkable, and the instruments are in impeccable balance, but there is no ambience and no effects at all. The dry production is a little tough to get used to, especially in this day and age, but it really works to the record's benefit, since it really lets the music breathe and speak for itself, and gives it a rawness that's rare in this age. Apollyon's vocals especially sound different here, because unlike on 'Discipline' where his voice was soaked in distortion and resonance throughout, on 'Necrosis' it's heard au-naturél, as a throaty snarl that splits the difference between black metal screams and death metal gutturals, and is made all the more powerful. Secondly, there's more variety here. Rather than blasting his way through much of the record, Czral uses a lot more thrash beats, letting the guitars dictate the pace and giving them more breathing room, thus making the riffs stick better than they did on 'Discipline'. There are a number of mid-paced parts throughout this album, [i.e. "Evil Is Done", "Awakening", parts of "Heartworm", etc.] and quite a few anthemic, fist-pumping, Motörhead-ish breakdowns as well. The whole album really has the personality and intensity of a top-notch 80s thrash record while maintaining the forward-thinking musical approach that has always set Cadaver apart from most of its peers. It's damn unfortunate that the band decided to split shortly after this album's release. But at the same time, it's nice to know that they ended on a high note, rather than risk wearing out their welcome. July 24th, 2005 |
