I’ll admit I wasn’t too excited for a new Lock Up album. I mean, it’s been eight years since Hate Breeds Suffering, which I really though wasn’t necessary after 1999’s Pleasure Pave Sewers, (which was admittedly one of the first high profile super groups). And let’s be honest, a grindcore side project in 2011 featuring a second tier Chilean guitarist (Anton Reisenegger, most notably of Criminal), barely relevant Nick Barker, and Tomas Lindberg (at least compared to their legendary and influential early days) and a haggard Shane Embury just wasn’t as exciting as it was a decade ago.
However, there’s a point 15 tracks into the album, where my skin has already been peeled from my flesh, and halfway through “Stigmartyr” where Lindberg screams ‘GRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIND!!!!!”, the band kick out an absolutely classic Naplam Death/Terrorizer riff, forcing me to grin from ear to ear and mutter myself, ‘now, THIS is fucking grindcore!”
Necropolis Transparent is a pure unadulterated salvo of classic grindcore that begs to be heard by those wanting a break from all the so called modern grind out there today contaminated by dance beats, breakdowns and trends. The 17 song, 41-minute vortex of d-beat blasts and slicing power chords plays like a lost artifact of grindcore, dusted off and given a shiny new Andy Sneap production. It rips, tears and shreds from start to finish belying the members’ age. Lindberg sounds more pissed off than I’ve ever heard him, Barker beats the skins without mercy and Embury is well, Embury. And despite my qualms, Anton Reisenegger0 channels Jesse Pintado perfectly, delivering riff after riff of Terrorizer and Napalm Death styled punishment.
Pinpointing tracks is pretty pointless, but trust me, the blistering likes of “Parasite Drama”, “Anvil of Flesh”, “Rage Incarnate Reborn”, “Unseen Enemy”, “Stygian Reverberations” and “Vomiting Evil” will tear you a new one. The album simply does not let up even the long songs (the few over three minutes) are relentless. The only reprieve is instrumental closure ‘Tartarus”, a slower moody number that could come from Napalm Deaths mid-era lull.
With guest vocal appearances by original member Peter Tagtgren and even Jeff Walker of Carcass, not only is Necropolis Transparent as good of a grindcore album you’ll hear in 2011, it’s a perfect eulogy to the memory of Jesse Pintado and the album’s dedication to him is perfectly done.
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Totally agree with you on this, album is sick as fuck/
on Sep 12th, 2011 at 16:12For what is worth, Anton Reisenegger was a founding member of the Chilean band Pentagram, who were pioneers of extreme metal back in 1985, when there were no Thrash, Black, Death or Grind. I consider him on par with all the other guys in Lock Up and my guess is that so do they.
on Sep 12th, 2011 at 20:30Anton Reisenegger (no O there) was the vocalist/guitarist for Pentagram, one of the best death/thrash bands to ever walk this Earth. Even Napalm Death themselves pay tribute to Pentagram on Leaders Not Followers with their cover of Demonic Possession. And I don’t consider Criminal to be second-tier, they’re much better than many death/thrash bands currently making the rounds.
Nick and Shane are a rhythm section to die for and countless vocalists have tried to imitate Tomas’ shrill rasp to no avail.
These are all musicians at the top of their game and you’re treating them as has-beens making a comeback.
Other than those major disagreements, your review is spot-on.
on Sep 12th, 2011 at 20:47Heh, Pinto beat me to it. :P
on Sep 12th, 2011 at 20:48Thank for the info guys, was not aware of Pentagrm, and have never heard them. Criminal are pretty second tier though… ;)
on Sep 13th, 2011 at 09:29