NECROST

If you ever find yourself tormented by the question of how to merge breathtakingly beautiful melodies with thick, refractory blasts of aggression, ask the guys from NECROST -- they certainly know a thing or two about that. NECROST is one of the oldest bands in the capital's underground scene. Which makes it all the more strange that their first proper release has only seen the light of day now. As the press release states, "Conception Of Noise" consists of songs recorded in 2000 and 2001. Given the exceptionally high quality of the material, one can assume that their next work (the release of which, incidentally, is expected this year) will be an absolute milestone not only in the history of post-Soviet metal, but will also shake many international heavyweights from their pedestals. Of course, time will tell how well my panegyric holds up, but for now, let's turn to the album itself. First, tell me -- what do you love about metal? Speed -- one. Melody -- two. Thunderous heaviness -- can't do without it. Well, "Conception Of Noise" includes all of that. "And then some," as the TV slogan goes. A cacophony ringing across the full frequency spectrum (death to equalizers!), ecstatic emanations of penetrating solos, samples placed with taste and intelligence... Keyboard parts stretch the musical landscape between two imaginary horizons where needed, while grinding guitars and guttural growl (Mr. Barnes, watch out!) compress it into a tight, suffocating coal shaft where you die of fever and madness. There's room for experimentation too. While the barometer of musical perversion occasionally goes off the charts (as in the second track -- a nightmarish mishmash of screams and a nasal little voice reciting passages from the Bible), overall the album inspires a sense of pride for the moscow scene -- it's been a long time (not since ORCISH BLOOD's "Moral Invalid" from Severodvinsk, perhaps?) since the russian scene has produced such an intriguing release.