The saying goes, “there is no school like the old school”, well what about “there is no school like the new old school”? Norway’s Obliteration is as close to Autopsy as you’re likely to find this side of Reifert, Coralles and Culter reforming. Their second album ‘Nekropsalms’ reeks of everything that was vibrant and exciting about Death Metal back in the day and OK we’re two decades on so the shock value isn’t quite there but when Death Metal is done as well as this it is hard not to stand up and take notice.

When describing ‘Nekropsalms’ sound and overall vibe it is hard not to find yourself spouting Death Metal clique after Death Metal clique about guttural vocals, savage riffing, death grunts and so on, which makes the whole album sound sterile and unimaginative. Quite the contrary! Obliteration have encapsulated everything that was (and still is) so fundamental to any great Death Metal album and executed it with such precision you can only but use phrases that would have rolled from your lips the first time you heard ‘Mental Funeral’ or ‘Scream Bloody Gore’.

Now before you get the impression ‘Nekropsalms’ is the album of the century and has every Death Metaller foaming at the mouth in some frenzied state of anticipation, it has to be said there is little (or no) new ground being trodden here. What Obliteration has achieved is a very compact and measured homage to those bands that so obviously inspired them to be in a band in the first place. Leaving the rather avant-garde cover art work to one side ‘Nekropsalms’ is more old school than many of the albums produced back in the early nineties and for wizened old Death-heads and new comers to the scene alike, there is enough here to slate your Deathly thirst……..(for blood)!