Having existed for a decade, Necromaniac has been a band of patience and precision, carefully honing their craft before unveiling their debut full-length. Prior to this, they had only released a demo (Morbid Metal) and an EP (Subterranean Death Rising), both brimming with promise. Their approach is rooted in a time capsule where metal’s evolution seemingly halted in 1987, drawing from the formative years of death and black metal, they refine and expand upon those ideas through labyrinthine arrangements. Morbid Metal offered an unpolished yet ambitious glimpse of their vision, hurling a barrage of riffs within concise compositions, while Subterranean Death Rising channeled that chaotic energy into grandiose refrains. With Sciomancy, Malediction & Rites Abominable, Necromaniac takes their sound even further, making a more pronounced use of atmosphere and integrating the progressive tendencies of bands that straddled the line between the first and second waves of black metal, such as Master’s Hammer, Root, and Mortuary Drape.
The production values have increased exponentially, not by making the sound cleaner, but by expanding its size and depth, with improved separation between instruments. The drums have a dry, thudding quality that perfectly complements the wide, gritty guitars, which remain the album’s central focus. The bass, courtesy of The One of Macabre Omen, is far more intricate and, fortunately, highly audible. With a relatively clean tone, it shines by weaving counter-melodies, only locking in with the guitars when the band shifts into full-on assault mode. Synths play a prominent role as well, primarily used for texture rather than as a leading instrument. Instead, they enhance the guitars by amplifying the intended mood of each section, employing a diverse range of sounds carefully tailored to complement individual riffs.
Compositionally, many of these riffs may seem fairly standard at first, adhering to familiar shapes, yet the melodic sensibilities defy conventional scales and chord progressions associated with this style. They evoke the chromaticism of Hell Awaits-era Slayer but with added angular twists and turns that lend an almost oriental quality, most notably in “Teraphim (Skull Sorcery)”, which builds around long, harmonized melodies before culminating in a climactic refrain. Necromaniac’s greatest strength lies in their ability to juxtapose multilayered, dense melodies with fast, aggressive riffs. While these high-speed sections sacrifice some of the intricate layering, they remain compelling due to unexpected detours and variations, as exemplified by the shifting passages around the halfway mark of Grave Mound Oath. Notably, despite the frequent divergence of the guitars, there is no rigid lead/rhythm dichotomy, each layer is given equal prominence, which greatly enhances the overall potency of the compositions.
The album format has given the band the space to expand their song structures, allowing some tracks to break away from the fast, frenetic style that once defined them. Instead, they explore slower, more atmospheric melodies, creating a logical flow that sustains momentum from song to song without ever feeling redundant. The closer, “Necromancess/Cauda Draconis,” serves as a microcosm of the album, showcasing the full range of the band’s capabilities—including a fantastic extended solo by Sadistik Fornikator, whose technically simple yet evocative style focuses on crafting captivating melodies that elevate the song even further. Necromaniac’s ability to maintain seamless momentum between passages is now enhanced by well-timed stops and short diversions, making every moment engaging and unpredictable despite the stylistic limitations.
Sciomancy, Malediction & Rites Abominable surpasses all expectations and proves that the long, painful wait was ultimately worth it. While rooted in a subgenre that was perfected over 30 years ago, Necromaniac successfully avoids the pitfalls that often plague modern bands attempting this style. Instead, they have crafted an idiosyncratic album that explores the untapped potential still lurking within this realm. It delivers the raw brutality and cathartic anger essential to the genre while simultaneously subverting expectations with an aura of mystique and subtle intricacies hidden beneath its aggressive exterior. Necromaniac has carved out a truly great album, one that breathes life into the ancient esoteric texts that inspire its themes and stands as one of the finest death/black/thrash releases in recent years
