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NAHUM (Cze) And the chaos has begun CD. 2015. MUSIC ATTACK Recs.
I had a problem to review this album, I don't really listen to the kinds of "powerful" metal it deals with anymore, and the thrashing content really reminded of an album I listened to a long time ago but wasn't able to remember... Anyway the case is closed, so we can go with this review.
This Czech band globally plays a style located in the middle between fast thrash metal/ thrash death, and a heavier kind of death metal approaching the spirit of 90's tech death, without the technical aspect.
Speaking about the thrashing you can hear some KREATOR ("Coma of souls" or more recent thrashing albums), PROTECTOR ("The heritage"... At this time the German band migrated from old thrash to more death metal influenced riffing) and a bit of later AT THE GATES (For more "modern" stuffs).
Speaking about the heavier death metal, you can think about mid-old to later DEATH (As I meant it before, not really the technical/ progressive riffings, it's rather about heaviness, and for this reason this might also remind me of ICED EAERTH).
Then you have a couple of other more deathmetallic influences that could sound like SINISTER (For the mid-paced stuffs), PESTILENCE (For what they did on the first comeback album, I believe), a bit of old DEATH ("Leprosy") for more old school moments, and perhaps touches of more "modern"/ "technical" stuffs here and there.
The goal of the band seems to develop an idea of power, in this manner the production fits their goals, it's quite powerful and warm sounding (It is quite modernly produced in an end 90's/ early 00's manner).
I don't really listen to these styles anymore; Even if the whole sounds professional, if some thrash moments sound kicking and the DEATH alike moments aren't necessarily bad, I don't think it was enough of vigorous passion for me to come back to these genres.
But this doesn't mean the fans of the style might not enjoy or be entertained by some of these songs... There are some good moments in this CD, and I'm not in their minds.
https://nahumofficial.bandcamp.com

NAPALM DEATH (Uk) Scum dead corporations Bootleg CDr.
I was still cast in the self denial bowel rot principle when this fucking CDr attracted my attention and took away my head from this shit. Hopefully there aren't only boring stuffs to review here!
I got this bootlegg for trade in an obscure distro and it's fucking cool!
Ultra Underground minimalost layout, but what's the fuck?
It includes a good amount of NAPALM's golden age bootleggs and stuffs. Read: limited edition Ep'88, Live in Europe '88, Mentally Murdered Ep, Split Ep w/ S.O.B...
About 50% of it is available on official releases and some bootleg live tracks haven't got a great sound, but it's still better to listen to great old school NAPALM DEATH with an average live sound than most of the very well produced but simply boring new releases! AAARRRGH!!!
http://www.enemyofthemusicbusiness.com

NAPALM DEATH (UK) Enemy of the music business CD’00 EARACHE.
They’ve worked a bit on songs’ structures to improve this structures’ complexity and it increases the vivacity and the surprises during the listening.
There are still the elements that made the NAPALM DEATH last epoch famous : a mix of different music styles ( Death, Grind, Hardcore, Sludge, Crust, Mechanical groovy parts) with refreshing and high pitched guitar tunes ( that are sometimes depressive ), crippled calculated scientific riffs à la HELMET, Emotionsfull gut tripping lifeends riffs, alternative use of rythmic variations on a given riff and viceversa, cool grows of Barney, use of depressive riffs à la GODFLESH mixed with grind parts, a great sound.
They’re using again the old logo and that’s quite cool ! This album is the logical continuation of their previous one : « Words from the exit wound »  but isn’t it enough to satisfy the tastes of an extreme Metaller ? A Good one!

NAPALM DEATH (Uk) Order of the leech CD'02 DREAMCATCHER.
It's always cool to listen to a new NAPALM DEATH CD, it's a bit of warmness in your so cold heart of ice!
But I've got quite mixed feelings about this new one: this is in the same vein than their 2/3 last releases, but I find it less expressive and intense on an emotional point of view! And even if there are still a bunch of cool riffs, some guitar parts doesn't sound that good (too common for Napalm!)
The style hasn't changed much, this is still a mix of Death/ Grind/ Crust/ Hardcore/ Sludge... but there are a few new elements such as the heavier CELTIC FROST like part on the first track (Barney even growls "Procreation of the wicked" on this riff. I may also compare them to USUR¨PER on this part as this American band sounds like old Celtic Frost with a more powerful sound) or some few Black metal influences riffs.
This is a cool CD with nice parts, but there aren't so much "Hits" or incredibly killing riffs (they doesn't dig that much under the surface of the iceberg). There are still some nice parts that stands out particularly (the 2 last minutes of the 2nd track, the 5th one or some more powerful one) but these parts are ways less numerous.
Notice the comeback of a punky tempo beat Napalm didn't use since the time of the "F.E.T.O" LP or "Mentally murdered" MLP.
To conclude I'll say it's not one of the best NAPALM DEATH CDs! Their 3 previous albums were far better! What we've got here is a CD à la NAPALM DEATH played by NAPALM DEATH themselves...
I understand it can please someone who haven't listened so much to N.D, but I expect more from a band whose members release so much stuffs (Another tribute to old bands is on its way, the DEFECATION new CD, DVDs, and other projects we don't know).
http://www.enemyofthemusicbusiness.com

NAPALM DEATH (Uk) Legacy was yesterday Flexi-Ep. 2011. NUCL€AR BLA$T/ DECIBEL Magazine.
I stopped buying new Napalm Death records a couple of studio albums ago, because the content was becoming repetitive and I felt the quality was decreasing... (Notice I have almost everything from "Scum" to "Enemy of the music business", so maybe more of the same wasn't needed?)
Just by curiosity and will of grinding update, let's put an hear on something they recently put to light. This will be a flexi-record released by Decibel magazine and apparently only available with a copy of this mag I never read... (But I found an Mp3 on a blog, and no one screamed when my mouse touched the "Download" button (Maybe it's not so illegal after all?))
It contains an only song entitled "Legacy was yesterday": That begins in a mid-placed and quite mechanical hardcore manner, then comes a quite cool grind/crust riff, this kind of old school energetic power-chord stuff that can kick some ass! (The drums could be blasting and make the music more kicking, but it remains fast in a "dbeat" manner). Then you hear some crust, more angry screams and a bit of blasts, not bad... We're located in the middle of the song, and the second half repeats the same program.
There's no real difference from the last records Napalm has released, expect very few blasts are used. It's not a bad song, it sounds quite kicking, and contains nice angry parts, but it's not sooo good and I don't feel super-thrilled. On one hand I feel it's a routine for them to compose this kind of song, on the other hand maybe they wanted to come back to some "Peel sessions" spirit with a not-so-produced recording...
I secretly hope NAPALM DEATH would comeback to something more experimental, and insert more industrial, strange, or new influences in the middle of their grindcore/ death metal based music... But apparently you can't always get what you want.

NARGAROTH (Ger) Black Metal Ist Krieg CD'01 NO COLOURS.
I was in some pleasant dreamy thoughts when the crap of NARGAROTH put my head in the shit! Fuck that crap! Absolutely uninspired Black metal! It's so crappy it even even can't reach the most common clichés of the style!
Shit feeding black metal that tries to copy the old MARDUK Lps, but fails as their musical understanding doesn't goes far beyond three musical notes! Senseless sterile riffs that were merely copied on old DARKTHRONE and BURZUM but that goes absolutely nowhere!! Incredibly crappy drum-playing that does nothing more than making me asleep! Pure boring shit! These wanna-paint-my-ass crappy ones even don't know what tempo changes are! You'll get the same simple riff for at least 1 minute! Imagine some 16 years techno fans trying to play black metal 2 weeks after they heard a DARTHRONE CD for the first time, and you have the right idea of what it is! I can't even figure how a label released this CD! NO COLOURS really seems to be a crappy label!! Is it what they consider as good Black metal? Perfect for the shit-lickers from the French 'metal' magazines!
NARGAROTH strongly shows the shit can't fly and remains drown in pure crap! AVOID IT AT ALL COSTS!!

NASUM (Swe) Human 2.0 CD'00 RELAPSE.
I heard both good and bad words about NASUM. On one hand some old school grinders told my ass it was just a correct old NAPALM DEATH copy, on the other hand young metallers seemed to enjoy this Grinding output! So finally I checked some Mp3s of a full album on the web! (Most of the reviews here will come from full albums downloads! So that you're free not to review something that sucks too much!).
And here goes my words! It sounds quite intense with some all time NAPALM DEATH influences and some quite refreshing fast riffs! In anyway the whole remains influenced by old NAPALM DEATH with grinding stress moments along the lines of REGURGITATE! Ha Ha! Grinding blasts with a great crushing production à la new EXHUMED! Some screamy vocals tend to be quite hardcorish , what I don't like so much... I like more or less the band according to the tracks, but it remains always more than correct, so it may be a worth checking output for grinders!
http://www.nasum.com

NASUM (Swe) Helvete CD'03 RELAPSE.
A new NASUM CD is synonymous with quite enthusiastic news in the Grindcore scene, this new one entitled « Helvete » seems to me like it’s their most intense release, for the few I’ve heard of their stuffs! This is not your sexy high-flying-black-metal with tiny-ass-licking-melodies ! No ! You little putrid bastard ! Total Brutal Grindcore with many fucking aggressive blasts and a bunch of heavier Crust beats!
Heavy brutalizing Grindcore (with an excellent production) that isn’t bound in the old school lines since it includes some fresher riffs and cleaner stuffs (that could remind of some Brutal emocore). NASUM sounds a bit like EXHUMED, but they’re more influenced by the Hardcore shit (vocals, emo influences, and Crusts) with for example some Grinding similarities that could be drawn between them and bands like PIG DESTROYER, NOSTROMO, ANANDA and eventually new NAPALM DEATH. It would be better to call their style Extreme metal than Grindcore since it’s quite varied: Grind, Crust, new school HxCx, Metalcore, Emocore, etc.
Nothing really bad to say about it. There are a bunch of very good tracks and it’s pro to the foot nails , yet raw ! Those who enjoyed NASUM won’t be disappointed!
http://www.nasum.com

NATRON (ITA) "BEDTIME FOR MERCY" CD’00 HOLY RECORDS
This is some of the finest european brutal death metal I have ever heard. Excellent production, great musicianship, brilliant songwriting (despite some rare technical show off) originality and all out intensity. This is something not to miss if you want something different from all the 'I wanna play faster and sicker than Deeds of flesh' bands plaguing the Death metal scene nowadays...
There are MP3 tracks downloadable from their web site.                                Nicolas

NECRO (Ita)/ UNCREATION (Ita) "Trapped into (self)destruction Split Ep. 2010. HORRORS OF YUGGOTH/ TERROR FROM HELL/ BLASPHEMOUS ART/ WAR KOMMAND Recs.
This is a short review for a deep underground split.
On the A side, NECRO plays simple "Death metal", somewhere in the middle between the thrashy and the mid placed... But I must say it's not perfect at all and some improvements are needed! Sometimes it could remind of MERCILESS (Swe)'s demos or old thrashing stuffs of this kind, early ASPHYX, maybe ABHORROT's first demo... Quite amateurish if you ask me. Due to the production, and the uh-we-are-not-tight it really sounds like a first or second demo from the end 80's, beginning 90's... And this guitar sound is too thrashy, it lacks of bass frequencies! Maybe some ideas could be nice here and there... But there are things to improve before I agree to listen again.
On the B side, you have the same UNCREATION whose demo was reviewed in these web pages. This is the same style: Death metal somewhere between the fast and blasting of INFAMY ("Blood shall flow"), fast Death metal parts in the regular old way (Want names? Insert coin!), and some heavier moments.
This time the sound has improved, it might be more abrasive than simply raw (Didn't they try to get some of the GRAVE guitar textures from "You'll never see..."?). The second track is an AUTOPSY cover ("Twisted mass of burnt decay") which seems ok for all duration, expect for the arpeggio in the middle, and maybe the sound is too abrasive/ not-heavy-enough for Autopsy? I heard worse covers.
UNCREATION seems to improve, and (More or less) reach a quite good level of Death metal hatred, which lets me hope they could become something cool to play booling with burning skulls.
To conclude, I think this split is not exceptionnal, and even quite average... But it could please big fans of Death metal an old way and collectors who don't care when a band sounds raw or even like on their first demo.
http://www.myspace.com/uncreationgods

NECROFROST (Ger) Bloodstorms voktes over hytrunghas dunkle necrotroner CD'01 NO COLOURS.
The title of this album and the fact it was released on NO COLOURS are enough to say it's PURE CRAP! But as I'm a docile and label-manager-cock-sucking- reviewer, I'll spread about this shit some enjewelled words that will bath in honey and perfumed milk!
One more time 6 months experienced musicians convert themselves to the "unholy-black-metal-cult", support the war against musical quality and pollute the overdriven stocks of many underground distributors! Even worse than MASTER's HAMMER or JUDAS ISCARIOT! Sounds like a bad copy of old BURZUM and DARKTHRONE. But where is the tightness any decent musician is supposed to know about? These guys aren't at the level of writing  compositions, their will is actually to sound true and play the poorest black metal possible!
The drumming is weak, the vocals are weak, the guitars are weak... it's TRUE WEAKNESS! Ok, you may read in some too objective and selfless reviews there's a little mood in here... and blah blah blah... but it's easier to plunge in my WC to find some golden treasures than to find some real emotions in here!
This is absolutely poor music, and totally crappy riffs! The sound sucks, everything S.U.C.K.S here! AVOID IT! IGNORE IT! FORGET IT!

NECROPHILE (Jap) Awakening those oppressed CD. 2017. UNHOLY PROPHECIES Recs.
Desire for depravation.
Irrepressible appeal for gruesome stench.
Hear the hysteric gospel of the deformed souls.
Hear the mutilated libidinal storm of the razors.

NECROPHILE was an old death metal band that spilled it's morbidity in the Japanese underground during the 90's, as they released various demos, Eps, splits, and then embraced the silence.
They then came back in 2013, and we are here talking about their first studio album.
This ten-songs release is composed of old and new compositions, you can hear that these souls didn't cross the surface of the rotting earth for the first time in this century... This is a mixture of old rotting death metal with a touch of thrash, and some fast blasting death (The old way) that almost tends to 90's death grind by moments.
I can spell the names of these elder morbid incarnations for you to have a cryptic idea:
Very early DEATH ("Scream bloody gore"), ooold MASSACRE, early DEICIDE/ early AMON, NAPALM DEATH ("Harmony corruption"), ABHORER (The album), early MORBID ANGEL ("Altars..." era), a bit of VIBRION (Demos & Ep) or a bit of MONSTROSITY (First album & demos).
Well NECROPHILE doesn't feed your mouth with a very original and delicate menu, this is played in the old way, but this is not asleep and the songs are built in a decent manner.
There are quite kicking moments, it sounds quite ugly and I dig the drumming (There's some blasting frenzy).
This album is mostly for big fans and maniacs, quite cool old styled Death metal with a tendency to blastbeat your ass. Might be great to see them live in the right morbid & evil conditions.
https://soundcloud.com/necrophilejp

NECROPSY (Fin) Psychopath next door MCD. 2013.
Death metal from Finland doesn't always mean deformed doomy bizarrity or mysterious obscurity.
I wasn't familiar with the previous bowels of NECROPSY, even though they dissected 9 analog cadavers in the 90's. Here is their last recording from 2013, it contains 4 tracks.
The first one "For the blood and guts" is quite cool old school death, in an American way: The style and riffs are close to the first two DEATH albums, with a bit of old MASSACRE, and I feel something of the 2nd AUTOPSY album here or there ("Mental funeral") but it's few. There's also a nice touch of CORONER ("Grin") at 2/3 of the song. Not bad, even cool, but not thrilling.
Then I feel the 2nd song lacks of something; first it's a little "progressive" (A la "Spiritual healing"), then it's more sorrowful, then the pace comes back to mid-paced death metal... But it sounds a bit too simple. I don't feel or hear anything "special".
The third song "Twist to kill" evolves between early (Or very early) brutal death and very early "technical" death... I hear some ooold CANNIBAL CORPSE, mid old MORTA SKULD, touches of old BROKEN HOPE, and some DEATH again. This track is a bit more elaborated than the other ones. Even if it sounds a little strange, this is an okey meat-agglomeration I can listen without bowellish cadaverous reflux.
The last track is globally slower, first quite "doomy", then with the melodies from "Leprozy", then with more DEATH again, and then appears some faster death metal the (old) regular way. This is quite classical stuff, perhaps a little too much.
Globally there's some cool (First song), some okey (Second one), and some quite bad. I would be more interested if they had more songs like the first one.
Listening to these tunes of the door scratching, I feel it could be cooler to check out the band during rehearsals than live. Don't ask me why… Perhaps because there's a feeling of "intimacy" here?
http://www.necropsy.fi

NECROVATION (Swe) Gloria Mortus 7 Ep. 2010. BLOOD HARVEST Recs.
Some peoples noticed the evolution between the demo/ Eps and the "Breed deadness blood" album which was less necro/ fucked (In part because of the production) and more based on some death metal darkness...
NECROVATION keeps on evolving, and this new Ep containing two compositions shows us the way they seem to embrace for the future.
The first song "Gloria mortus" is the most different compared to their previous releases, it's probably their slowest and more diverse composition yet.
It begins in a way close to CARNAGE "Dark recollections" (For the heavy power chords), while the following becomes more doomy and more spiritual. I feel something close to the last DR SHRINKER tape ("The eponym" Demo'90 which was more original and technical) for some hypnotizing content, and there's clearly something from the world of doom in here! (Doom, darkness, misery). Some mid-paced riffings could evoke the first IMMORTAL album, even if it's not too obvious. At 2/3 of the length you have a typically Swedish "Repugnant alike" Death metal moment to remind yourself you also deserve to die.
The second song "Other side" is closer to what you found on their album, but it's a bit less dense in sound and a bit more complex (In the meaning some riffs could be structured the way AUDIOPAIN did on their first recordings (I didn't hear the later, so....)). In the middle of this Death metal track, you can hear some black metal touches, and some little guitar polyphonies coming from the world of doom (Or maybe ooold MORBID ANGEL). I have a more natural interest for the first song, but this second one isn't bad in the genre.
I won’t talk too much ot the cover artwork because I’m not certain of it’s meaning... Maybe there’s a visual impact with the red colors, and something so ancient that it leads back to the beginnings of humanity (Prehistoric cave paintings?), but I’m quite exhausted with simple skulls.
"Gloria mortus" is a quite good Ep. On one hand it shows the band is less focused on the savage and dense aspect of Death metal, on the other hand it shows NECROVATION doesn't hesitate to try new ideas and other ways to express emotions... This might not necessarily please every Death metal maniacs, and it's not a brutal uppercut reminding you of a doomy fate, but I find the spiritual atmospheric side of the first song interesting and more naturally inspiring than most of the current Swedish Death metal bands...
http://www.necrovation.com

NECROVATION (Swe)/ CORRUPT (Swe) The curse of the subconscious Split Ep'05. BLOOD HARVEST Records.
After an old sounding and nice (maybe too long) introduction;
Drowning in disgust, the vile pus awakes,
As your visions of granitic Death metal sarcasm reincarnates under the form of a crepitating bile-filled mocking delirias.
The side of NECROVATION is in the same style than their previous releases: cryptic and raw Death metal and old Swedish way, with a cold feeling of Necro that perfectly fits the needs of the most depraved cold-butt fukkers.
So, you have 1 new NECROVATION song, and a cover of MORBID ("My dark subconscious") that didn't do much for me. It's quite usual and lacks of morbidity (!); but I never was a fan of MORBID, in any morbid way to die.
A cool dark side of the spoon, but I would have much more putrefied with 2 new songs of NECROVATION!

Now the Ep is locked on the B-side, I can talk about CORRUPT.
The first song is some kind of thrash/ death metal that can sound like early MERCILESS (Swe), early KREATOR (Uk.... Ah Ah!). The guitars are thrashy for most while the vocals are scorched... not so far from Rogga (old). A quite cool song, but I think I heard better songs of this kind on their demos...
The second song is a cool MERCYFUL FATE cover ("Curse of the pharaohs") taken from the first album of this great heavy metal band.
It has screamed, almost black metal vocals, and it sounds cool.

Notice the cover artwork was drawn Nathaniel Colas, one more guy who deserted the underground so quick...
Conclusion: All putrefaction taken in consideration, once the vicious bile have been meticulously tasted, the putrid mouth of the sarcastic cadaver can spit: "it's a cool Ep!"; but the dead expects something more underground and utterly raw and brutal as a consciousness raping tectonic fuck! A nice way to reanimate the dead would have been to focus on the most brutal of the most brutal of the old school from their own songs... Instead of the total putridity, you have something cool, but it's already not bad. Uh? For big underground cadavers!
http://www.bloodharvest.se

NECROVATION (Swe) Chants of grim Death Ep'05. BLOOD HARVEST Recs.
Necro, rotten and dirty as fuck! NECROVATION still plays this good old and fast as fuck Swedish Death metal! Full of instantaneously rotting riffs and razorblast guitars! Since their previous demo the band has included a bit more of ancient deadly mystic 'melodies' emerging from an hateful past while most of the time the music sounds like some early ENTOMBED, NIHILIST, DETERIORATE and early MERCILESS! With few AUTOPSY in here and after! Of corpse some riffs sound average, the raw production might not please some of you who need it too clean for pure fucking death, and I prefer the first side which is faster, but NECROVATION has enough shredding razors and rusted spikes on their wristbands to make the glamcore fans bleed in agony! NECROVATION reminds me of DELVE (who later turned into the purulent VERMINOUS), I guess if they keep on rotting and increasing the necro from their putrid carcass they'll have quite considerable morbid ways to die and to brutally severe the flesh the way VERMINOUS did on their first Lp!! All the more there seems to be a serious Swedish old school death metal cartel who kills to reanimate the ugly rancid corpse of ancient Swedish morbid mysticism: KAAMOS/ VERMINOUS/ REPUGNANT/ NECROVATION and few others... Feed them with your black bile and show them your support! They deserve it!
NECROVATION is still hating life and brutally promising in my underground opinion! But for underground fans of pure Death only! Notice there's a cool MERCILESS cover! ("Pure hate") and the rotten bastard Nathaniel Colas did the dark artwork! héhé! To follow for those who rot in the sickening undergrounds for pure fucking death! PUTREFACTION REMAINS.
http://www.necrovation.tk

NEHEMAH (Fra) Light of the dead star CD'01 ADIPOCERE.
Pure fucking Black metal in the raw Norvegian style that will make you thrill and hallucinate on your life's absurdity!! It revived some old darkened "Pure holocaust" in me, but they also sound like old mid placed EMPEROR on a good part of the tracks.
Nothing else to say. Check it if you enjoy true Black metal!!
Chapelofjeff@aol.com

NEPHENZY CHAOS ORDER (Swe) Pure black darkness CD’03 RED BAPHOMET .
One more time, Satan isn't behind a black metal band! I even wonder if all traces of obscure evilness have left the occult underground!
Ok, the music of NEPHENZT CHAOS ORDER is one more of these technically correct stuffs... but I have a too big feeling of "Oh no! I ever heard it before" to be impressed! Very fast black metal à la old DARK FUNERAL meets MARDUK. Black death metal à la mid old IMMORTAL ("Blizzard beast"). Plus some other influences: MAYHEM (Few of "Wolf's layr abyss")... They have death metal influences from here and there.
Even if they have nice apocalyptic and full of filth artworks, N.C.O's music doesn't dig my own grave! The drummer blasts too fast! It looses a bunch of power!
I couldn't say "It's one more crappy black metal CD n the pile" since the album remains more or less correct and some parts aren't bad on a strictly aggressive point of view, but I wasn't much inspired and I feel like this kinda common album lacks of deep soul! Between the average and... Uh! I won't listen to this Cd one more time!
http://www.nco.cjb.net

NEW YORK AGAINST THE BELZEBU Stunt CD'98.
This tribute to Napalm Death is far from being a tribute as the only band included plays badly the old tracks of the english grinders, and this is very often pathetic! Just a waste of money.

NEURAL BOOSTER (Hungary) Gross negligence CD'02 ECLIPSE RECS.
Brutal death Grind with a few raw sounding grind moments.
Their most American Brutal death influenced parts makes me think about NATRON's 1st CD. It reminded me a mix of blast parts à la old NYCTOPHOBIC, EXHUMED's last two releases (without the great old school Death metal riffings), IMMURED, a bit of old GROINCHURN and also DAMNABLE's Demo'96 for the raw/ hesitating sounding side. There are nonsense low tuned noises' occurences à la ADNAUSEAM (and this band isn't a reference! eh eh!).
Some tremolo riffs sound hesitating and cheap, it seems to me they try to be original but it doesn't sound convincing. I didn't find the energy and convictions Extreme bands like TERRORIZER, MORBID ANGEL and some newer bands like REGURGITATE or INHUME also put it their stuff!
Nothing interested me in this release, some guys may find cool the raw/ destructive sounds, but it remains average as fuck for the riffs!
I must say I prefer their previous CD that didn't seem "wanna sound original", it included a few more classical but cooler tracks (with gory bizarre harmonies).
If you don't know N.B, try to listen to their "Ignorant indifference" CD... I wouldn't advice it, that's clear! The sound is quite good and the packaging of this CD are well done, but I'm not interested in their music in any way. So be carefull to any compulsive metallized payment!
http://www.neuralbooster.com
 

NEURAXIS (Can) Truth beyond… CD’03 MORBID Recs.
A friend of mine who runs a radioshow received this promo no less than 7 times! It's now obvious some big labels have a bunch of extra money!! This is a real waste of putrid beer!!
I ever heard the 'original extreme metal' of NEURAXIS few years ago. It was a quite strange mix of Death, Grind and Rock!? But it didn't turn me on much as the voracious vaginal cancer kept on mangling my brain!
On this new album, NEURAXIS might sound more professional, more efficient. This is Brutal death grind with some melodic riffs tending to Black metal and melodic death. One more time some rockin' touches are there. It might sound as a mix of old PYREXIA, GOD DETHRONED, old CRYPTOPSY, IN FLAMES, DEATH ("Symbolic"), old THE CROWN... American Brutal death meets European technical death and Gothenburp style. But I remain uninterested!
This is well produced, constructed and listenable: some guys will dig it. But NEURAXIS needs more power from hell, catchy riffs and burning explosive emotions to match the appeal of the well rounded pack of beer awaiting me!!
http://www.neuraxis.org

NEVERLIGHT HORIZON (Bel) God of suffering MCD'03 DEADSUN.
When the DEADSUN logo appears on a CD, you can be sure the probability it will fucking suck is very high pitched! This label is killer in terms of crap releases, that's for sure! I don't know how they choose their "artists", but it's fucking despairing! What you have here isn't that crap sucking, but common and under the average... NEVERLIGHT HORIZON plays some kind of Death/ Black at the frontier between brutal death grind (Some old DEICIDE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, EXHUMATOR) and kinda melodic black thrash.
The musicians are tight. The tracks are correctly played... but the whole remains expectable as fuck while it lacks of real brutal ideas and overwhelming brutality. Just another common and average release full of ever heard brutal death riffs!
This would have been an ok/ quite cool demo I guess, but it was released as a professional CD... so it's fucking not enough!! Under the average and too common to deserve a pro pressing.
DEADSUN: Stop releasing demos as pro CDs and be more selective with your bands! That would be a bit more decent. There are far better bands in France than your usual crap!!
http://www.neverlighthorizon.be.tf

NIFELHEIM (SWE) Devil’s force CD’98
After their first album and their appearance on the triple Ep sampler « Headbangers against disco », these swedish Psychipaths still play this   "evi" black/ thrash metal identical to their first album, the only difference lies in the fact it might be faster. Their music is Ok because they doesn't steal riffs to the old bands (contrary to many other ones)  but that's all! It's a shame their music isn't as disjoncted as they say to be sick: in their bio they say: "NIGELHEIM is back to piss on your grave, rape the gods and fuck your skull!". Sympathetic?

NIGHTFALL (Gre) Eons aura MCD’95 HOLY.
I had the "Athenian echoes" CD of the band that was released in 1995. At this time it was quite original melodic Death black ("Epic war metal" as lamely enjewelled the label... Where is the war into Nightfall??) and even if some parts could sound catchy, it was sounding too happy to really please me! (All the more some parts were quite cheezy...)
But as some of you know, in their first years some bands record some of their most inspired stuffs.  So I bought this MCD for 3 euros (I wouldn't have bet more! That's clear!). It must be one of the very first recordings of the band. The MCD is in the player, I push the "play" button and I'm ready to... Drown!! The music on "Eons aura" sounds like a less developed and evolved way of their following recordings! This is somekind of melodic doom, sorrowful death with an emphasis on atmospheres that sounds a bit more dark than on "Athenian echoes", but it sounds less "catchy" than this release (I didn't like). They had a real drummer at this time. There are some synths and stuffs that could have made them sound original, but nothing special! And I don't give a shit about this style unless it's totally excellent and emotionally head blowing! And that's not the case here!
I imagined they could have played obscure Death doom in their early days but it wasn't the case! (PARADISE LOST recorded some very good stuffs in their first years, before turning to something that only bores me and reminds me how much inspired musicians can turn to uninspired defecators of sterile or superficial releases that blow only the minds of untrustable reviewers...) Another CD that will find it's way in the first second hand market I find!

NILE (Usa) Annihilation of the wicked CD'05. RELAPSE.
When I read the review of this last album on some "Disconformist and independent" webzines, I imagined NILE turned into something weak, slow and devoid of any technical aspect... Totally wrong!
I could hear this CD is a local metal shop, and I knew I had to buy it! Once back home with the burning piece of blasphemous album, it was immediately time for brutal headbanging. Yes! This album sounds brutal, blasting, and Death metal as fuck! Some songs have some good and very catchy riffs you will need to bang bang bang your head at first listening, some enormous hellish depression of the castrated demon, and overall a good atmosphere.
There aren't much atmospheric Egyptian interludes, but that's not a bad point if you ask me. When I need Death and brutality, I need Death and brutality! Not dissolved bromide...
The drum playing of Georges Kollias (Who probably used to be bored behind NIGHTFALL's drum kit) isn't as complex and technical as his predecessor, but it fits well the style and he's fast enough (lol). His more simple style makes the whole easier to get into.
The band hopefully still has these fast as fuck heavy riffs that sound as hellishly resonating as a big angry deity crushing your microscopic roman cities with his enormous foot! AAAARGH! Face the anger of revenge and hear the evoking deep voice of the ancient that sucks your insipid civilizations with bizarre languages unknown.
I'm not a fan of their heaviest and mid-placed moments, as it happens to sound quite long in my hears...
I appreciate the way some of the vocals are "rhythmically" worked, it sounds quite "motivated" and it's not always deep growls.
You might have noticed a bunch of "metal" fans use the opportunity of some "Free speech" on some webzines to spread their sooo important opinions about this album: "We're fed up with the Egyptian influences... We're fed up with their brutality and technicality... Stop molesting our tiny hearts!!" Ah Ah! If you ask me, this is what happens when an EXTREME kind of music is over promoted: some "Metal" listeners who shouldn't have listened to these bands have the CDs right at home... Like it for few listenings... And then change their volatile minds and begin to spit as the little entertainment and freshness of the beginning (Trend?) has disappeared. If you don't like brutal death, don't listen to brutal death! As simple as that! And find another way to use your brain, instead of trying to superficially dissect and criticize kinds of music you can't deeply enjoy nor understand. Criticism and opinions about death metal are welcomed, expect from the volatile brains of some trend-riders, glamfaggoters or so called "Original" music turncoats who can't listen to the same kind of music more than 2 times. Or at least, try to do it with deep understanding and decent knowledge.
Back to the catacombs: Of corpse, the sexy mummy has ever been penetrated by most glorious and inspired melodies, as all the riffs included in there aren't thaaaaat good or original, and (as well as most of albums) some songs don't do much, but all in all it's well dozed enough to keep you in the infernal march of this sexy pharaonic bitch during almost all its defenestrating length. Maybe you'll be able to inseminate your demoniac seed... Who knows...
For sure this album won't match the gut-tripping brutality and emotional intensity of their 1st and best album "Catacombs of Nephren-Ka" and I can't say if it will last so long, through the years of infernal torment and self destructing abrasive brutality, but at least this is currently a good album, with goods songs, good know-how, a good dosage of various styles from the brutal... And there aren't much bands sounding like NILE that sound good...
http://www.nile-catacombs.net

NIRNAETH (Fra) Thrown atwarth the darkness CD'06. GREAT DANE Records.
The guitarist of NIRNAETH gave me this promo months ago, during a gig in the north of France... I'm sorry for the late, but due to a busy schedule and running sickness of musical tastes (That didn't creep around the black metal globe), I must say I didn't feel in a urge to crawl in the Black metal promos... To say that in French "Y'a pas le feu aux poils!".
The biggest influences of NIRNAETH are without any doubt fast and quite 'old styled', since most of the music would rather remind of what occurred in the beginning of the 90's (While black metal remained more or less underground) so you could happen to think about the old releases of various acts such as: IMMORTAL, WAR, MAYHEM, DAWN, MARDUK, NIDEN DIV. 187 (Not too sure about this one), some old DISSECTION (Not so complex), NECROMICON (1997) et caligula… Other influences could be found in much smaller degrees, I'm thinking about Death metal, heavy metal and thrash metal, it makes the whole a bit more varied. The feelings generally vary between rage/ aggression/ energy and sorrow/ mourning.
A problem lies in the fact the fast and raw riffs doesn't sound very original, and taste like these horny sluts already tried to bestially fuck me before... It seems many bands of the style have the same problem: If they keep it raw and extreme it generally turns out to be everheard, but if they try to make it more original and new then the rawness and aggression gets lost...
The vocals are quite particular, it doesn't bother me but I think everyone wouldn't get into the quite high pitched and 'crushed' screams of Zigouille.
The production is clear and powerful. The guitars sound strong but not too overdriven, and it has some kind of purity/ aspect of sorrow that wouldn't displease black metal fans. The whole might lack of crass and noisy parasites for some undergrounders who crawl in the depth, but it seems top notch in my hears.
Some good ways of improvement could be: More surprises in the drum patterns, few hellish old school leads (Why not?), a bit more complex structures or the guitar and bass guitar might need to play very different patterns (Newer evil sounds might appear)…
This is a pleasant album to listen to, it's varied enough to remain quite entertaining during the whole listening process, but I must say I miss something really catchy or emotionally over the top to definitely convince me.
I saw them live few times, and I feel like their music sounds better during a gig (More extreme… And with noisy parasites ahah). Big fans of blasting black and raw black metal might dig NIRNAETH, so check out their music if you have doubts... http://www.nirnaeth.com

NOCTIFERIA (Slo) Per aspera CD’02 ARTIC MUSIC.
Some CDs doesn't suck, but there's nothing really special happening, and you haven't got much to say about it. And this is the case of this NOCTIFERIA CD. The band plays a mix of Black metal and Death metal. Their Black metal influences would tend to the 2 last EMPEROR's studio CDs for some fast riffs and keyboards (ways less complex) and IMMORTAL for some vocals or some riffs à la "Blizzard beast". The first track that's heavier reminds me of some MORBID ANGEL stuffs on "Domination". Some Death metal parts could also remind of VITAL REMAINS on "Forever underground".
Their keyboards are used in a quite classy way, I've heard worst stuffs in the style. A few quite cool Heavy metal riffs. Nice leads.
Most of the stuffs are mid placed, it's tight with a good sound, but nothing exciting happens. And after a few listenings I remember nothing from this CD. It can only be quite cool for big fans of the style! Nothing more, that's clear!
Noctiferia@angelfire.com

NOISECORE FREAK (Can)/ MURDER BY STATIC (Can) Split CD’99 DEADSIX COMMUNICATION.
Is it written noisecore shit grind on the homepage of this webzine? No!! So hy am I mailbombed whith these noise shit poor electronic grind shit releases??
Read carefully: each noise shit, grind shit, grind noise or whatever release received here will get a negative review! So stop sending all this crap before I get totally fed up and even do not review it!

Here’s a split CD dilled with two bands into a noise style…
NOISECORE FREAKS plays discordant grind noise that’s less shitty than what I expected, it’s full of riffs and tempo changes etc… sounds rather like death grind with noise riffs… reminds me of DESECRATOR (Fra) demos… Their riffs sound poor or discordant and there’s really nothing worth at all. Nothing worth a listening anyway, it’s only wanna sound extreme bullshit riffs with a drum machine and stupid never stop blablahhh vocals (a bit à la SUBLIME CADAVERIC DECOMPOSITION)… Useless!

MURDER BY STATIC sounds a lot like the other band, and it’s as useless. The only difference is they seem to use a real drummer.
Don’t send them full of shit and sperm packages, they’re so full of shit themselves to release this and waste money on a pro CD for this crap they do not need it nor deserve it!

NOMAD (Pol) The devilish whirl CD '99 NOVUM VOX MORTIS.
Here's a quite old promo I "reinherited" from a zine that had to be released but never saw the light of darkness: it was in a time when I was stopping my zine, so I gave a bunch of promos to a guy who was supposed to run a zine but never did it. It needed 4 years to see a part of the stuffs come back... and it's now reviewed here...
Let's say it immediately, I'm not enthusiastic about this release. The band plays somekind of Death/Thrash/ Black that sounds more or less "extreme". Some parts are really melodic and it sounds cheap with some punch tempos, some black metal vocals sound like trolls who sodomizes each others in their evil forests, and it lacks a real kick in the arse!
Ok, a work on compositions was done, but I'm not impressed.
I could sound as a melting of VADER, CRADLE OF FILTH, (1st CD, without keyboards), IN FLAMES (A bit), D.A.B (the pre-GURKKHAS band), THRONEUM, old MORBID ANGEL, etc... All the tracks doesn't seem to have the same production, and it sounds strange. An average/ very average one, nothing impressed me.
The job is done! 

NOMINON (Swe) Blaspheming the dead Ep'03 NUCLEAR WINTER.
I read some articles and interview about NOMINON into very much metal fanzines, and I expected something very much obscure and totally old school. But I must say I was quite disappointed when I played this Ep. While I imagined their music as being a cross between doomy and obscure death metal melodies à la ROTTREVORE and old school as fuck ferocious Death metal between bands such as ENTOMBED (old), NIHILIST or newer acts as REPUGNANT, KAAMOS, what I discovered is a Death metal between the old stuffs of DISMEMBER, GRAVE (really softer!) and it reminds me the last UNLEASHED releases. I feel like it lacks of morbid energy while the tracks are quite common. It's convenient Death metal, and a bunch of melodies are here. Nothing special. It could sound a bit like BLOODBATH's releases, but it's less inspired and less Heavy Brutal. Cool cover artwork in the old vein! Notice there's a REPULSION cover!
Heavy Death metal vocals, tight musicians with Ok tracks, but that's damn not enough! More blood and tears! Even if nothing attracted my attention and if it remains average, it doesn't suck. But one should be an absolute old school maniac to get into NOMINON!
http://www.nominon.nu

NONE (Pol) Blackstar CD'03 METAL MIND.
Trends suck! Uninspired Nu metal/ metalcore band with no originality nor feeling! This is conventional and common from A to Z! Where are the ideas and feeling? Sterile, ever-heard... Why do I listen to this? Fuck it, if I was a Nu metal fan I'd have vomited all over as it sounds like all the Nucore I've heard... Stop it!

NOSTROMO (Fra) Argue CD'98 SNUFF Recs.
Their last CD "Ecce lex" didn't do much for me, it was too much complex and mind breaking...  But this CD is just more efficient and impressive! AAAhhh!!!
Now, I know why I heard some good words about them in the mouths of trustful friends!
Before they switched back to sterile complex Hardcore whatever, NOSTROMO were definitely good! Imagine a mix of old school Hardcore, Power metal, Metal core with MESHUGGAH influences and emotionally depressive induced riffs à la new NAPALM DEATH! It wasn't so simple, quite complex in moments, with lots of nice breaks, but the whole was done so that it sounded naturally flowing! It was a good procreation of the wicked! It was both aggressive, tight, compressed, with some efficient know-how to dethrone the usurper and captivate your fuse blowing attention!  Nice drum playing that was varied and alive, with cool double bass rumbles à la old FEAR FACTORY ("Demanufacture").
It was original and refreshing, even if if it had some deep roots in the HxCx style.
The vocals were mid/ high pitched in the Hardcore vein, not too much my style, but it fits well to their style. Their music was both expressive, controlled, thought and aggressive, to shredd and wash away your old cerebral arteries that remained necrosed since years and years... Very good CD! It's always sad to see good bands regress in the quality of their compositions!I don't know what happened to them! They were far better on this CD than on "Ecce lex"! Too much success? Too many gigs? Recognition?
http://www.noiseaddict.com

NOSTROMO (Fra) Eyesore MCD’01 MOSHBART.
Yeah! It's now obvious NOSTROMO wasn't the band of an only release ("Argue"). Contrary to their last one "Ecce lex" that did few for me, this MCD is worth the bucks it costs!
Read: the band was still so precise and efficient in their extreme mix of Hardcore, Power and Grind/ Death. The whole music includes many breaks and "original" parts à la MESSHUGAH (different tempos, breaks, etc) on an Hardcore basis. This MCD can remind of the Heavy mechanical parts of new NAPALM DEATH, some MESSHUGAH for the breaks, some mid old PANTERA for the Power metal, and some Hardcore bands I don't know. There are some beats/ riffs associations as well as rhythms I have the feeling I didn't heard before. The screamed vocals are quite high pitched and emerge from the Hardcore scene.
There are few depressive induced riffs, and few parts reminding me of FEAR FACTORY ("Soul of a new machine") for the breaks. There are some really hypnotizing riffs here! There are some well thought stuffs here! Few good blast parts are added. Notice and Ok NAPALM DEATH cover ("Twist the knife").
This MCD was different from their last release: more controlled, more efficient and it was less rawly produced (more precise and heavy). It's a real shame they've turned in a too complex, average and quite uninspired band  on "Ecce lex".
http://www.noiseaddict.com 

NOSTROMO (SWI)/ BLOCKHEADS (FRA) Split Ep'02 BURN OUT.
This split Ep artwork wouldn't have caught my attention in a CD store for sure!I'm not too into 50's sensual jazz'n rock, eh eh!But it looks quite cool anyway.
The concept here is: each band covers a track of the other one and adds one of it's own creation. So NOSTROMO covers a BLOCKHEADS track that seems to come from the "Last tribes" CD of the french Grinders, doesn't sound 100% as the original, so it's cool for a cover.
On its own track, NOSTROMO offers a mix of Grind, HxCx and discordant tunes with screamy High pitched vocals emerging directly from the Hardcore scene, but the whole keeps a Grindcore highline. That's cool.
BLOCKHEADS's nostromo cover and personal track sound in the vein of their otehr lastest releases? If you liked their Grind/ HxCx/ Crust with low delirium vocals and screams, quite chaotic parts and with a real Grindcore spirit, check it! It's worth the listening for the grinding mafiozos!
http://blockheads.free.fr

NOSTROMO (Fra) Ecce Lex CD'02 OVERCOME.
I heard some Mp3 tracks of NOSTROMO and it was fucking Grinding, expressive and totally efficient!! In a total hardcore influenced metal vein with some Grinding and new NAPALM DEATH touches! Very good.
But I was quite surprised by this new recording (not to say disappointed) as the music isn't in a so direct and efficient style.
It sounds like some Heavy thrashing Hardcore mixed with strong MESSHUGAH influences (for special beats and breaks), and more complex stuffs that waste a bit the thing. This stuff is deeply bound in the HxCx scene with some influences taken from the actual "new sounding" and complex Grind/ Hardcore scene à la CEPHALIC CARNAGE, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN or HUMAN REMAINS (a bit). They have their share of doscordant riffs à la NAPALM DEATH/ GODFLESH.
The problem is this music is too much complexily built for me, there are still some more "normal" parts in the way of what I heard on their website, but I thought it would be a totally strong album I'd definitely include in my CD collection. Some riffs may sound like technical masturbation for the non musician listeners.
To be honnest, I enjoy only about 1/3 of this CD for its classical Grindings or more emotionnal tracks à la new NAPALM DEATH. (My fave tracks on it: 5-6-7-12)
http://www.noiseaddict.com 

NOVEMBER’S DOOM (USA) The knowing CD’01 DARK SYMPHONIES.
I heard one of their previous album that was quite doom. This one is more melodic with some PARADISE LOST influences ( Shades of God, Icon, Draconian times). It’s quite catchy and memorable. In some soft parts, it would remind me of SEVENCHURCH ( an old Doom band that released a CD called «  Bleak insight » in 93). Some clean  vocals’ parts reminds me of PARADISE LOST’s « Draconian times » but they also sound like CATHEDRAL( « Statik Majik » EP + «  Carnival Bizarre » LP) for some 70’s Heavy Doom influenced parts.
Of course there is some TYPE O NEGATIVE ( « Bloody kisses ») for some vocals.
It could be considered as a cooler version of mid/ old PARADISE LOST with the same vocals Nick Holms once had. I found it Ok when I got the promo, but nothing really impressed me nor brand my brain... it's a CD you may listen to if you have not much Doom metal release, but there are some really better bands in this style who does it with feeling and sincere creativity!

NUNSLAUGHTER (Usa) Triturade Ep'02.
The well paid objective litlle bird noticed a beautifull aurora this mourning, so he has got to do another "objective" and very niiiiiice review for his so called "INSIPENSABLE" and "ESSENTIAL" pile of shit magazine!
I know a guy in NUNSLAUGHTER who think MORGOTH, PESTILENCE, CARNAGE and NIHILIST weren't Death metal!! So what did they play?
And I must say I didn't find in NUNSLAUGHTER's stuff the excellent old school Death metal feeling these bands once had. They play old school Death/ Thrash that lacks the fucking mighty thrill of Death and gut ripping energy. This is Ok but nothing special. Their stuff could be comparable as a mix of some old CELTIC FROST with UNLEASHED's mid placed touches and vocals a bit à la old SADISTIK EXEKUTION.("The magus"). It can remind you tremolos of SIX FEET UNDER's first releases mixed with some riffs à la old DEATH, not very technical music. This can be Ok for big Underground old school Death metal fans, but those who are bored to Death with all the UNLEASHED's releases that followed the good "Where no life dwells" (for exemple) won't get into it!
http://www.nunslaughter.com

NYCTOPHOBIC (GER) Insects CD’00 MORBID
NYCTO still plays the Grind Death with crust and groovier parts they played on «  War criminal views », their previous album, but they’ve tried to evolve. It’s correctly played and arranged. There are crust and groovy parts in the vein of the ( more or less) new NAPALM DEATH while some other ones reminds me of PHOBIA’s « means of existence », old NAPALM and DISRUPT’s « Unrest ». This album sounds a bit more aggressive than their first CD, but it's still far from the intense Grindcore they played on their Eps and Demos!
We can find some new elements : musical discordance sounding in the depressive vein of GODFLESH. The last song, a remix for the « Co(g) existence »song  mixes indus/ electro jungle and it reminds me of MICK HARRIS’s «  Overload Lady » project + some GODFLESH and some old PITCH SHIFTER ‘s « Submit ». It’s a caught in the mighty vortex of Depression remix, sure they must have gone through severe depressive hallucinating delirias to compose such kind of conscious eroded old GODFLESH influenced music, hail «  Streetcleaner » !
I like the cover and the green putrid logo  « NYCTOPHOBIC », it smells full of dirt as when you wake up in a depressive maelstrom – «  la tête dans le béton » ( the head in the concrete).
At the beginning I thought I’d found this CD quite boring, I found it better than their first CD but as I said before it's still far behind from their totally crushing Pre CD recordings! I don't know what happened to the band, they even rerecorded on "War criminal views" some old tracks in a really less intense way... A cool CD, but...

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