NECROPHAGIA - Holocausto de la Morte (Retrospective)

​Written by: The Voiceless Apparition

So here we are again! I'm just gonna get straight into it.

Holocausto de la Morte is the second album (not counting the bootleg release of what was supposed to be their first album) from Necrophagia. Notably, a lot had changed for Necrophagia since Season of the Dead. For one, the band broke up in early 1987, in which Killjoy subsequently began a few other projects including his solo band Killjoy and the ever-underrated (and previously reviewed by your's truly) Cabal. After Cabal broke up, Killjoy retired from the music industry to focus on taking care of his family, but in 1998 something changed. Killjoy was approached by none other than Philip H. Anselmo of Pantera fame. Philip and Killjoy had been in contact since the 1980's and Phil always showed his appreciation for Necrophagia.
    
So, to my knowlege, the story goes that Phil asked Killjoy if he'd reform Necrophagia...and he originally declined, But, due to the persistence of Phil, he gave in, under the condition that Phil write the sickest, most horrific, and deranged horror metal album of all time. Within a month or two Phil came back with this entire album written. Killjoy was so impressed that he agreed and thus the reformation of the greatest band of all time came to be, and therefore Holocausto de la Morte was vomited forth from the gaping womb of extreme metal.

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"Bloodfreak" begins the album on a terrifying note. From the get-go, this version of Necrophagia sounds quite different from the original version. This reanimation is far more doomy, sludgy, diverse, and grotesque than what we saw prior. This blackened slab of horror is disgusting. Killjoy's vocals are even more filthy than before.

One of the biggest highlights of the album has to be "The Cross Burns Black." This song has to be one of the most terrifying, bleak, and apocalyptic songs ever created. It's a really sludgy and doomy song, but the riffs are really jagged, with a strong black metal feel. There's an absolutely disgusting d-beat section at the 4:30 mark that I just wanted to mention, lest it be neglected.
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"Deep Inside I Plant the Devil's Seed" is the next track, and the black metal influence is at the forefront here. Blast-beats and dissonant melodies and the blood-curdling screams of Killjoy lead you to the gates of hell. "Burning Moon Sickness" follows suit with massive power. I absolutely adore the opening riff to this song--it's groovy and simple, with a healthy dose of punk rock/rock 'n roll. Towards the middle of the song there's this really dramatic and epic doomed out section filled with horror synth and samples of screams. It's a really uncomfortable experience to listen to, but I also love it too. The terror reaches a maximum level on "Cadaverous Screams of My Deceased," one of the doomiest songs in all of Necrophagia's discography. These riffs are crawling, decayed, and full of misanthropy. The highlight of the song, however, is right before this nasty punk section, where Killjoy repeatedly screams "THERE WAS BLOOD EVERYWHERE!" Just brilliant.

Holocausto de la Morte is an absolute masterpiece. Backtrack to what I said earlier about Killjoy wanting Phil to write the most horrific metal album of all time: well, I think he accomplished that. This is probably the darkest, most disgusting, most perverted Necrophagia release in their entire catalogue. The atmosphere on this album is of absolute dread and malice. You have the black blood vomiting of Killjoy, the feedback and swamp laden riffs of Phil Anselmo, the rumbling bass work of Dustin Havnen, and the apocalyptic groove of drummer Wayne Fabra. It's a shame that this lineup would not last. Every member would end up leaving, but Killjoy stood strong and persevered, finding a whole new lineup and a full album written. That album would end up being called The Divine Art of Torture...

Stay tuned!
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Necrophagia - Holocausto de la Morte was released in 1998 via Red Stream Records

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