Black Rabbit – Warren Of Necrosis

This is going to be a relatively brief review since we are dealing with an EP with only four tracks on it. I’m referring to Black Rabbit, a concept-driven death metal quintet from Apeldoorn (The Netherlands) and their second four-tracker EP entitled Warren Of Necrosis.

Tracklist:

01. Initium Finis
02. Apprehension
03. Null and Void
04. Insurrection… Liberation

The band’s current line-up (post Warren of Necrosis) is made of Nino Thomas (vocals), Jelle Brekelmans & Hidde Hofland (guitars), Thijs Mulder (bass) and Koen van der Voet (drums). As far as I can understand Warren Of Necrosis is a concept-driven work following the story of a human priest’s descent into corruption, his pact with a demonic entity, and his ultimate transformation into a demon presiding over the ‘Warren of Necrosis’?!

Another thing notable and worthy of attention is that these guys are building on their previous EP Chronolysis displaying their evolving, uncompromising style of extreme metal. All four songs are equally strong yet diverse and varied. What you can hear from the opening tone from the first track “Initium Finis” (with roaring vocals and raw riffs) is an intense playing, featuring fast and raw riffs with galloping rhythms, low‑tuned chugging and crushing breakdowns. Furthermore we can hear some twisted thrash barking with venomous & demonic death metal growls. Drumming is pounding – featuring many double‑time assaults, rapid snare cracks and relentless and precise/powerful double‑kick barrages. All of this helps in creating a dark, oppressive, ritualistic and conceptual atmosphere, focusing on themes of decay, corruption, and identity.

The overall sound, and production part, I’ll describe as being raw, visceral, dark, oppressive and ritualistic. It’s clean enough so all the instruments and the vocals appear strongly in the final mix, but without being too clean and polished, keeping this authentic feel of the death/thrash/black metal of the 80s.

If I’m to pick one highlight from the EP it would be a second single called “Apprehension” mainly due to a nice and sophisticated/revealing spoken word introduction and its ferocious bass tone. Meanwhile other tracks like the violent opener “Initium Finis”, then “Null and Void” featuring thundering double bass, or the closing determined and effective track “Insurrection… Liberation” are equally strong pieces.

My overall impression of Warren Of Necrosis is one of a strong EP and a significant release, solidifying Black Rabbit’s sound as an intense, concept-driven force in the extreme metal scene. It’s demonstrating their songwriting abilities while delivering an intense, high-energy experience that resonates with fans of classic underground extreme metal, but also to the likes of established and well known death/thrash acts like Kreator, Carcass, Vader, Pestilence, Exodus, Death Angel etc.

For more information on this debut EP from Black Rabbit visit bandcamp or listen to the entire release following the link below.