Necrophagist - Onset of Putrefaction

[Victim of Deception]

Necrophagist – Onset of Putrefaction
Willowtip - Re-release- 2004
By Adam McAuley

So I have the task of reviewing this “legendary” album’s re-release. Does it live up the hype given to it? After giving Onset of Putrefaction some very solid listens, I wouldn’t quite say that it does. The labyrinth of riffs and complex song-structures are certainly interesting, but to a certain extent they’re also what sets Necrophagist back a bit, in my opinion. You see, while impressive, the riffs have a tendency to loop, causing unnecessary repetition. Either that, or the songs just lapse on with technicality, and you lose interest.

Nonetheless, there is some quality playing here, with tons of scaled riffs and interesting song structures. When Necrophagist settles into solos as well, you’ll be intrigued and baffled by how well performed they are, and the ease with which they fit into the overall song setup. The last track, “Fermented Offal Discharge”, features the finest of these sections of all, and is a marvelous close to the album. The production is crisp, but perhaps a little sterile sounding, which is fine for the type of music being performed.

So, to make a long story short, Onset of Putrefaction is a fairly impressive album. However, it doesn’t quite deserve the legendary status some bestow it, in my opinion. Of course, this gets a huge recommendation to fans of technical death metal, but those that are waned out on their Vader collections may want to approach with caution. I have to give props for the guitar work though, as it's some of the most compelling you’ll hear in death metal.

7.5/10

Official Willwtip website
Official Necrophagist website

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

"The labyrinth of riffs and complex song-structures are certainly interesting, but to a certain extent they’re also what sets Necrophagist back a bit, in my opinion. You see, while impressive, the riffs have a tendency to loop, causing unnecessary repetition. Either that, or the songs just lapse on with technicality, and you lose interest."

Thats exactly what bothers me about this band. Fair review.

The drums are pretty horrible too, they sound like some bizarre hybrid of programming and real playing. Which i think they are.

 

[Episteme]

Agreed. Good album at most, but quite overrated.

 

[Bleakest Harvest]

Very overrated I would say. Mediocre vocals and the songs sound pasted together. Death they are not.

 

[johnzorn]

No that I go back and listen to both Necrophagist albums, your right, his guitar skill is fucking scary. Those sweeps are just too damn clean. The structures just too tight. The vocals are just right though. But his sweeps man. THE SWEEPS. And the drums, I agree with the above as well, it sounds half programmed/half played. Although the snare hits sound pretty real, and the kick is triggered(or samples from a drum machine, who knows. Need I remind thee of Raymonds kick from Demanufacture. I got the same sound with a Boss DR drum machine.) Anywho, all ranting aside, he/they (how ever you look at the band) won't replace Death, but they do actually stand on their own as a very very very very technical "death metal" band. And they can pull it off live too.

 

[Episteme]

It is a drum machine.

 

[johnzorn]

*cries*

 

[Episteme]

*cries with johnzorn for the fuck of it*

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

No that I go back and listen to both Necrophagist albums, your right, his guitar skill is fucking scary. Those sweeps are just too damn clean. The structures just too tight. The vocals are just right though. But his sweeps man. THE SWEEPS. And the drums, I agree with the above as well, it sounds half programmed/half played. Although the snare hits sound pretty real, and the kick is triggered(or samples from a drum machine, who knows. Need I remind thee of Raymonds kick from Demanufacture. I got the same sound with a Boss DR drum machine.) Anywho, all ranting aside, he/they (how ever you look at the band) won't replace Death, but they do actually stand on their own as a very very very very technical "death metal" band. And they can pull it off live too.

From what I understand, the kick is quanticised and trigger, or vice versa... to make it super duper tight. Too tight for my liking.

Having said all this, I quite enjoy Epitaph on occasions... its a bit more to my liking.

 

[Risquit]

I like Epitaph better too. I turned my guitar snob friend on to it and he loved it. "Its like Shrapnel guitarists playing death metal", he said. Onset is just Muhammed, and I think he beyond pulls it off. But with a full lineup on Epitaph, Necrophagist fucking own!

 

[sweet majestic darkness]

"I have to give props for the guitar work though, as it's some of the most compelling you’ll hear in death metal. "

I totally agree.

I just picked this album up. I have had Epitaph for a few weeks. Iam loving these albums. I would love for this band to tour the US...damn

 

[Chasm]

Maybe I haven't been online enough to read all the reviews and opinions on this, but I have never seen anyone refer to this album as legendary. Either way, it's a great asskicker from start to finish. I'm probably the only one that will post in this thread who actually prefers this over Epitaph. Epitaph sounds almost slow at times compared to this. Not to mention that it is far less technical. I don't know, I've never been a fan of reviews on albums like this. Far too many metal albums are overanalyzed and nitpicked apart these days. Albums like like this have no other purpose other than to kick the listener in the teeth every time they put them on. Onset Of Putrefecation is a great technical death metal album with catchy guitar work and pummeling drum patterns (rather it be from a machine, a mix, or human). What else needs to be said?

 

[Victim of Deception]

I meant to imply the legendary status indirectly, simply based on the praise the album gets and the amount I see it recommended on message boards.

 

[Oceanic Motion]

'Fermented Offal Discharge' has the best solo ever. Other than that I prefer 'Epitaph', it doesn't feel so mechanical as Onset.

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

Epitaph feels much more mechanical than Onset.

 

[PaulRawNerve]

wow, didn't know it had been re-released with different artwork, got the original import, took me fooken AGES to get a hold of it, listened to it yesterday in fact, it is still a work of pure genius..
can't wait for march 11th,
leeds
nile
dying fetus
necrophagist
all together on one bill!!!!

 

[blind_cynic]

amazing album,better than Epitaph.all written and played by one guy Muhammad Suicmez.except for the drums.

 

[Scarifier]

Epitaph is no way near as good, it is a let down after such an awesome debut.

Epitaph doesn't have the complexity, speed (speed doesn't matter, but epitaph uses slow passages too much in a bad way) and most of all the ass kicking riffage that came in abundance on onset.

A lot of epitaphs solos seem to just be thrown in for the sake of "solo time" for e.g at the end of 'the stillborn one' and are often backed up by a rythm consisting of a few power chords, thats shit!

Also ideas used in the debut are re-used on epitaph, for example the name of 'the stillborn one' is similar too the awesome "mutilate the stillborn" which pisses me off, the solo ending echo used in a song on onset ( i can't remember and my media player is fucked ) is used on an epitaph song which just pissed me off when i heard it also.

 

[murderedbysound]

After seeing them live during the Corpse/Fetus/Necro/Undying?? ( I dont remember the opening band). But Mohammed can really play. I was impressed with this album only because it was all him doing everything (though i know its prolly 90% drum machine) but it still is good considering it came from one person. The band can pull off the stuff live. The techical ability and the speed all live. I actually like them better than Corpse or Fetus. Though the only thing that puts them in the same genre is the vocals.

 

[Hatebreeder]

I liked Epitaph much better at first, but that was before I actually sat down and listened to this one. I didn't want to get into it because of the presence of the drum machine, but it doesn't seem to pull down the album too profoundly. It is also cheaper than Epitaph )) and has a higher replay value.