NEKROGOBLIKON - Heavy Meta

June 24, 2015, 8 years ago

(Mystery Box)

Kelley Simms

Rating: 8.5

review heavy metal nekrogoblikon

NEKROGOBLIKON - Heavy Meta

What is goblin metal you ask? At first glance, one might be quick to write off California-based Nekrogoblikon as being ultra cheesy, what with its horrible name, hideous grammar, backwards lettering and silly goblin mascot. However, if you peel back its layers, you’ll discover Nekrogoblikon play some diverse and quality metal on its third full-length release, Heavy Meta. The band’s musical foundation is built on a combination of folk metal and melodeath; think Finntroll meets Children of Bodom. The raspy howls of vocalist Scorpion are an acquired taste, but they possess a unique charm nonetheless. The swirling keyboard melodies drive the majority of the tracks with a playful, carnival-like atmosphere. Each track varies from one another and there’s always a melodic hook that reels the listener in.

The band definitely has a sense of humor, especially on the rhythmically-driven “We Need A Gimmick” and “Let’s Get Fucked”, with a cameo appearance by the party animal himself, Andrew W.K. From the jazzy, polka-infused “Bring Us More” to the fleet-footed, rap-style vocals of “Full Body Xplosion” to the innovative finale of “Atlantis”, Nekrogoblikon keeps the listener on its toes. At ten tracks lasting 36 minutes, it’s the perfect duration for an album these days. However, the production sounds a little muffled at times, especially on the rhythm section, while the vocals are also low in the mix and lack crispness. However, these are just minor flaws amongst a truly thrilling album. Nekrogoblikon, or “goblin metal” in general, might only appeal to a certain niche of fans, but one listen to Heavy Meta and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the quality of metal these guys are peddling.



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