Almost feels as if we’ve stumbled into some shady downtown bar mid-song, ‘Sunken Huntress’ wasting no time in reminding old friends and informing newcomers what THE NECROMANCERS is on about. There’s a bit of Magnus Pelander in new vocalist Basile Chevalier-Coundrain’s pipes, more complimentary than carbon copy, shades of the much-missed Michael Grant of CRESCENT SHIELD, and neither a bad thing. Musically, there’s a delightful blend of doom, SLOUGH FEG-styled rave-ups and even a sense of experimentation ala MASTODON’s post-Leviathan work on offer here.

Certainly the most overtly Metal of the bunch, ‘The Needle’ marries early JUDAS PRIEST to a more beefy SAXON, something I’m sure The Metal God himself would approve of, a neat little chugging chord pattern about halfway in catching the attention. ‘Crimson Hour’ moves atop a slinky, slithering bassline and snap-mare drum, THE CULT’s Electric era until the chorus slams home and halfway up Doom Mountain, before rolling back, as Sisyphus, for the second verse.

Downcast and bedraggled, ‘The Orchard’ reveals itself as a grove of trees in the fog, branches weighted with riffs of rotted fruit, then soon enough finding its feet in a proud proto-metal groove, while the title track conjures a breath of THE DOORS in its lazy lope forward and dramatic vocal delivery. The contributions of lead guitarist Robin Genais should not go unnoticed, able to coax subtlety and wring screams from his strings in equal measure in this tune that’s nothing short of theatrical.

I’ll leave the closer, ‘Over The Threshold’ for you to investigate (can’t be giving all the fun away for free now, can I?), but suffice it to say if you’ve enjoyed Where The Void Rose thus far, as I have, you won’t come away feeling cheated. I know I’ve mentioned some pretty disparate bands in comparison, but rest assured, nothing here sounds contrived or false. Actually, it’s impressive as THE NECROMANCERS bringing something this familiar yet fresh to the table.
Review By: Lord Randall

THE NECROMANCERS
Where The Void Rose
Ripple Music
3 / 6