Nekrofeist

SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 2012

No Regrets: Nekrofeist Hits Hard with their First Full-Length (2012)

Oh, man! Let me tell you something: this is way more fun than Nekrofeist's previous effort. If you recall, I was less than pleased--even after countless listens--with the self-titled debut, but this new one, Without Reserve or Regret, hits the spot, metal blitzkrieg and all. There's no prima donna bullshit here, much like what the preceding record attempted to shove in my face--just heavy hitting music, supplemented by a generously fat dosage of memorability. And, really, that's exactly what the band needed to successfully woo casual listeners with the signature Nekrofeist sound. For crying out loud, these guys get played on the radio down in Aussieland!

If you were hoping for a change in style from the self-titled debut, you'll need to look elsewhere to fuel your growing eclecticism. A natural extension from its older sibling, Nekrofeist has done an admirable job patching the holes that made their first, well, so generic and a bore to sit through. Thanks to the charismatic belting of Dave Tinelt, not only is the music melodically-inclined this time around but also able to quietly tiptoe back and forth over the fine line dividing the accessible and extreme. In other words, Without Reserve or Regret is aurally attractive from a mainstream standpoint, all while handily toying with the taste buds of even the most ruthless music listener.

The differences between Nekrofeist and Without Reserve or Regret are striking, especially when you consider how the band kicked their act up a few notches, improving the overall song writing and musical finesse. Tinelt's pipes are without a doubt the biggest change here, lacking much of the singing prowess he held on the debut and instead focusing on an outright assault through a variety of harsh vocals. Rarely deviating from a mid-paced chug, the quality of the guitar riffs is substantially better than what is found on the act's first effort, not to mention the excellent rhythm section that accommodates to every twist and turn the axe-slinging throws their way.


Highlights are tough to pluck from the track listing because the album is best absorbed as one big, cohesive piece of music. Despite that, "Australian Made" will likely be a future anthem for the band, similar to Judas Priest's "Breaking the Law." The rest of the record takes time before it clicks, but when it does, you'll be in for the ride of your life. Nekrofeist are probably on that very ride right now as they enjoy the small amount of recognition they continue to gather in Australia.

Beginning the search for something they can call their own, instead of building upon a set formula--comparable to Queensrÿche's situation during the Rage for Order era--Nekrofeist has shoved their foot in the door and established an identity. There's certainly additional progress to be made, but that doesn't take away from the fact that Without Reserve or Regret is light years ahead of anything else the band has committed to recording. Basically, I dig this one, folks. Go out and experience it for yourself.

-TMA
- The Metal Advisor

There appears to be a fair bit of Australian rock and metal hitting our shores at the moment. This EP is the latest to come in to my hands and is the best one I have encountered so far. The guys play metal bordering on thrash and reminiscent of Megadeth, the vocals on some tracks reminded me of Mr Mustaine although not quite as whiney.

The EP contains 6 tracks, although two are just radio friendly edits, and all are heavy, riff filled slabs of metal which will have any metalhead worth his salt banging his head for all he is worth. Track of the EP for me is the full on thrasher ‘Government Ruins’ which is worthy of one of the ‘Big Four’ and rips along like a wrecking ball.

This EP has been out for a while in their native land where the band have built up quite a following and have found some genuine and deserved success, hopefully they can find the same in the northern hemisphere.

**** - Get Ready To Rock

Taking their cues from early Metallica and Anthrax with the groove of Suicidal Tendencies, NEKROFEIST hit a different stride from the thrash revivalists, opting for a sound that isn't just the straightforward party thrash of the rest of the pack. With a hefty dose of politics hidden within the lyrics, these indigenous Australian metalheads have a lot in common with the first wave of thrash. 7/10 - Terrorizer Magazine

Since my last review of Nekrofeist’s debut album we’ve kept in close touch and when they started recording this new album I was warned by Damon that this effort blows the debut out of the stratosphere.. I laughed and told him it was impossible, nothing can beat “Government Ruins”..
I stand corrected… Just bitchslap me now and tell me to believe him next time…
Last week I was given the first track to listen to and at that point I thought “OK.. maybe I was wrong..” This morning I woke up to find the entire album thrown at me.. I’m now on track 4 and my jaw is still hanging open..
This album, “Without Reserve or Regret”, is a completely unparallelled .. You can hear anger, fear, disgust, TRUE raw emotion and not just in Dave’s throaty, rough, sexually-charged voice.. It comes through in the playing of Rob’s, Damon’s and Paul’s instruments.. Forty minutes of the ULTIMATE face-shredding, pounding, headbanging, pit slamming, ear-bleeding metal that I have heard in months..
Every damn track is hook-laden, you can fully hear the extent of Damon Bishop’s talent on the guitar to the point that he owns it.. It talks for him, it screams for him, it wails in pain.. He abuses that thing to the point of needing medical attention.. Much like I will be if I’m ever lucky enough to see them because you can bet I’ll be in the pit regardless of how I feel.. (and I just had a complete weekend’s worth of headbanging, I’d still be game for more.. )
Rob’s bass and Paul’s drums are the epitome of Thor’s hammer, pounding & thundering while your speakers quiver and vibrate.. Again, as in their debut album, they prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are not just timekeepers, they are just as important and integral part of the band as Dave and Damon.. This review would be multiple pages long if I were to review every song individually but I’ll just choose my personal favourites..
The timing changes in “Carbon Black” are just ridiculously amazing while the staggering in “Grim Demise” will give you one hell of a sore neck if you attempt to windmill to it.. The harmonizing showcases that Dave is capable of not just growling, screaming and gutterals but he has a certain smoothness when he belts “Deaaaaath.. is on it’s way.. and you can runnnnn.. and far away.. yeahhhh..” (yes.. I’ve listened to the album five times already, the lyrics are sticking..).. The bass slides at the end just add a final touch of.. je ne sais quois (“I don’t know what” for people who don’t speak French or know the phrase) that adds finality to the song..
“Sweet Junkie Sleep” has a super sultry & sweet bass riff at the beginning that grows into something MUCH more powerful and angry with almost Meshuggah-style timing before slowing down into a beat that exudes disgust.. Again, they have proven their lyrical genius with such lines as (and I hope I got this right with nothing to go on..) “Gather just in time, just before the maggots dine, paranoid schizophrenic rape.. Pretty as a shit, now glamourous turns sick.. Trusted, got busted, no escape..” Lines are punctuated with one of Dave’s trademark wails of “WHY” and “CRY”.. There are many songs about the junkie life and prostitution, how it’s a vicious circle but this one tops the list.. It slides into “xaoc”, a beautiful piano instrumental that is a wonderful ending to a track about grave subject matter, mayhaps to give a listener with the issue hope that there is a way out and they don’t have to have a “grim demise”..
Finally we have “Headless Parabolic Man”.. It’s written on the back of my Nekrofeist hoodie and I figured it was the name of an existing track that’s yet to be published.. Once this album gets worldwide release I’m going to be even prouder to wear it than I did before.. This track is just the most powerful track of them all with a stupendous guitar solo that once again showcases the talent of Mr. Bishop.. In fact, I would say that it pushes the talent limit of the entire quartet.. If it were possible to give it 20000 horns out of 5 I would but five is the max so five it is..
Artist Name: Nekröfeist
Album: Without Reserve or Regret
Label: Independant
Email address: metal@nekrofeist.com
Hometown: Shellharbour, NSW, Australia
Style of music: Thrash/Groove
Website: http://www.nekrofeist.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/nekrofeist
Other: http://nekrofeist.bigcartel.com/ (Merchandise)
Members:
Dave Tinelt – vocals
Rob Giles – bass
Paul Gilroy – drums
Damon Bishop – guitar
Tracks: Cesium-137/Carbon Black/Grim Demise/Sweet Junkie Sleep/xaoc/Australian Made/Death Ain’t Your Style/Between White and Wrong/Headless Parabolic Man - TheMetalReview.com

I recently reviewed Nekrofeist’s debut EP which had been kicking around for a couple of years in their native Australia and awarded it 4/5 as it contained some rather good classic thrash. The band got in touch shortly after to ask if I would be interested in reviewing their new album, well it would be rude not to…

Without Reserve Or Regret continues on where the EP finished off with more rifftastic thrash. What has changed in the intervening couple of years is that the band have developed and honed their style to produce a heavier, more intense album. Album opener ‘Cesium-137’ is a perfect example of this development with tight riffs, a ten ton rhythm section and above all plenty of melody and a cracking chorus.

Other tracks of note are ‘Carbon Black’ which kicks off with a Sepultura like drum pattern and contains yet another killer chorus, ‘Grim Demise’ which is a more industrial metal in the Fear Factory vein, and ‘Sweet Junkie Sleep’ which is a slowburning track, heavy, brooding with a gentle chorus.

This is an album which contains excellent songwriting, great musical prowess and enough variety to succeed at a high level given opportunity. The band had promised that this was a big step up from the EP and I wholeheartedly agree. Nekrofeist should be rightly proud of this release and hopefully it will find the success it rightly deserves.

****1/2

David Wilson - Get Ready To Rock

"3 out of 5 stars"

This EP is a vigorous and solid debut CD from the band hailing from the Illawarra region of NSW.

Okay, first things first, I have very little knowledge of metal or thrash but if Nekrofeist's self-titled debut EP is anything to go by, I'll be enjoying a whole lot more.

Recently released on Gadigal Music, Nekrofesist brings an energetic and aggressive change to the usual music genres exploited by Indigenous musicians. Up- front the Indigenous lead vocalist, Dave Tinelt, growls across all of the tracks but then seamlessly lays clear harmonies when the thrash gives way to more of a grove metal sound.

The two stand tracks for me are "Destroyed" and "Government Ruins".

The guitar riffs in "Destroyed" smash through some rough edges but the production ensures that you can hear Damon Bishop on the guitar, Rob Giles on bass and Paul Gilroy on the drums and still enjoy the lyrics.

"Government Ruins" opens with a charged aggression and Dave moves from a lip curling snarl to a rumbling howl. The excellent production again shines.

"Government Ruins" was recently included on a Speaking Out CD compilation album, celebrating the 20th Anniversary of ABC Local Radio's Speaking Out program - and the Nekrofeist boys performed with their aggressive energy at the compilation's launch event at the ABC studios in Ultimo.

Nekrofeist is a vigorous and solid debut CD from the boys from Nekrofeist and even though I mightn't now much about metal, I'm definitely looking forward to their next release. - ABC Online

A solid start (7 stars out of 10)

Essentially a four track EP (with two ‘radio edits’ tacked on), this debut effort from NSW four piece heavy act Nekrofeist is a solid, essentially groove based metal release.

These guys bring some interesting ideas to the table on this EP. They manage to avoid some of the clichéd trappings of the genre, maintaining interest whilst still offering up tunes that are catchy, coherent and well structured. The musicianship and production are solid as a rock, and the vocals of singer Dave Tinelt are a real feature, alternating between throat ripping howls and soaring clean with real skill and confidence. Opening line of lyrics ‘We want hit you with a sledgehammer’ really sets the tone, and seems rather appropriate with what’s to follow!

I dig the Pantera/Machine Head influenced grooving nature of this band’s sound, but like those major acts they prove they can thrash the fuck out on occasion too (check out ‘Government Ruins’), and this juxtaposition provides some nice dynamics and variation.

Overall it’s quite strong, and especially for a debut. I can see these guys doing it even better on future releases. This is definitely a band to watch.

Rod Whitfield
November 23rd, 2010 - The Metal Forge [Rod Whitfield]

Released by prominent indigenous label Gadigal Music, this debut EP is a melting pot of early-to-mid '90s metal influences. The Wollongong-based quartet capably fuse Pantera's stomping power groove with flickers of Testament, Sepultura, Machine Head and even Alice In Chains' riffage and tunefulness.
These four tracks (plus two radio edits) represent a band still sharpening their songwriting claws and distancing themselves from their influences en route to finding a fresh sound. The songs strongly suggest a band to watch though. Destroyed is perhaps the most memorable track here, while the up-tempo, thrash-inflected Government Ruins locks into a potent groove before counter-punching it with an infectious chorus and striking lead work.

Brendan Crabb
Drum media 6 JULY 2010
Page 49 - Drum Media, Sydney [Brendan Crabb]

Today we indulge in an Australian metal band called Nekrofeist. Included within this EP are six tracks. The last two tracks are simply radio edit versions of two previous tracks so I won't be reviewing the radio edits. They are exactly the same just without the lyrical profanity. It is my understanding that the singer has an indigenous background which is sadly rare within the metal scene in this country. Alas, let's check out this EP with the 'parental advisory explicit content' sticker on it!

Dominiputris - We start out with a timely beat and bass line. The music extends a welcome groove to lure us in. The rhythm gradually increases with intensity until the vocals arrive. The vocals are a grunty yet clean style of vocal, so all lyrics are decipherable. The sound engineering has been balanced well and clearly produced. You can hear all of the musical parts as one should be able to. At 03:33 there is a guitar lead starting to build up and plays out quite well. It is all structurally stable and well played and makes a great start for this EP.

"We want to hit you with a sledge hammer, We want to wedge you in a brick jammer, They want to kick you in the face flyin', They want to destroy you so keep tryin'..."

Choke - The groove in the music keeps you attuned and involved. This band reminds me somewhat of Godsplague with the groove and vocal style. They are definitely a band to pay attention to and not just have on for background music. The music is fairly straight forward and simplistic yet bares finer details which make them fairly unique and worthy of one's attention. It isn't fast, overpowering or aggressive, nor is it doom like or sombre. It is groove based, slow-medium paced metal. Not stoner, but relaxed if you get my drift. It is fairly heavy yet easy on the ears and this is another good track.

Destroyed - This next track starts out with some sitar, guitar melody and cymbal taps. It has a Middle Eastern feel to the rhythm. The song tends to drag you through its emotional vent throughout its structure. At 03:27 the guitar lead kicks in to release a large load of angst. At 04:42 the drums get their go at angst intensity as the vocals relay their newly found mental clarity. It is easy to follow and to enjoy and makes for another great track to the album.

"I wonder if you've had enough, You've had your fun I've found you out Destroyed my love, Can you believe the damage that's been done, So go ahead grin and think that you've won..."

Government Ruins - This track has a slightly faster pace and is therefore more involved to the listener. You will find yourself tapping along to this track whether you'd like to or not. It of course consists of groove based metal and smoothly transitioned structural shifts. This band obviously knows their metal and knows what sounds good. Personally, I don't like too many changes or too much going on musically, or how amazing a technical guitarist someone is and so on. I like the simplicity. Music can say so much more when it is founded upon the basics. A shift here and there, an increase or decrease in tempo, a lead or two (short or lengthy) but not fiddly diddly messy music. And this is a perfect example of straight forward, as it should be, basic metal.

"Slain, Word went out as they both came down and the answers ran away, Stain, Another truth and tell me where did you get that version from..."

In essence, this EP is a great example of what this band is about and as such they have sold me. The CD I received is the in-store version. The CD sleeve is comprised of one page. The cover bares the logo and symbol for the band and the reverse side to this page bares the logo, member names and positions and contact info. The very back of the CD cover has the track list and band picture. The CD itself bares the logo, symbol and track listing. It is overall a great introduction to this band and from what I can hear I would like to hear more and even see them play live. They seem to have steered clear from the general populous in respect of fads and what not which is what this country needs. These guys have stayed true to their roots and created a fine composition for us to enjoy. I would have preferred the lyrics be included in the EP but I understand the financial pressures which discourage this. If I were at a gig hearing this, I would buy it. It's only an EP so it would be cheap and is well worth supporting such a band. - Mystic Metal Webzine

“Why the HELL haven’t I heard these guys before and what fucking rock have I been living under?”
According to their Facebook page “Nekröfeist was forged in the industrial heartland of Australia’s East Coast by four of the region’s most versatile and experienced musicians.”… To say “versatile and experienced” would be an understatement.. Apparently these guys that have known & seen each other for years in different musical projects decided to band together to create what the world needed: an EP that is full of intense metal that’s reminiscent of.. of… no one I can think of.. You can hear classic influences but yet you can also hear modern takes on it that turns it completely un-classic.. Am I making sense to you at all? I know what I’m trying to say but .. for those that know me I rarely get TOTALLY speechless.. and I’m almost to that point.. Nekröfeist is … Fill in the blanks, I can’t do it..
“Dominiputris” got me from the first eight bars with me being a bass player myself.. It’s just phenomenal.. Sounding in spots like something from Metallica’s “And Justice” but also not, know what I mean? I think it’s something Cliff would have liked.. Dave’s vocals are gravely, full of emotion and commanding respect.. As for Paul’s drumming, he’s quite the hammerhand.. I wouldn’t want to be his kit, that’s all I’m saying.. It honestly sounds like they have more than one percussionist… And don’t even get me going on Damon’s solo.. Let’s just say my eyebrow cocked again..
The second track, “Choke”, has that drive, that beat that just makes you want to put your shitkicker shoes on and stomp around the house.. The only other song that’s made me want to do that is “March of the Dead” by Def·Con·One.. Come to think of it, to me the song sounds vaguely like it but that’s not a bad thing! On the contrary! To me that says that Nekröfeist has ‘it’, that winning combination.. You want to start yelling out ‘CHOKE! CHOKE! CHOKE!’ when it’s called for..
Thirdly we have “Destroyed”.. Yet another one that just makes me sit here, stare at my monitor and shake my head in disbelief.. With Rob and Damon playing pretty close the same riff on their respective instruments on the intro it always gets me in the heart because as I said before, I love bass players who realize that we’re not just timekeepers.. The tempo ebbs and flows like the tide.. It’s got a grim sound to it, it’s got anger, it’s got the ‘Shut the hell up & listen to me..’ attitude to it.. It captures you from minute one..
The EP closes with “Government Ruins”, a much faster-paced track that’s 100% thrash.. I can see this one being a neck-snapper.. It grabs you by the hair on the back of your head and doesn’t let go.. Dave’s voice shows it’s strength here and Paul’s drums are the focal point of the intro & the outro.. The best line I can pick out is in the chorus “The very taste of your Manhattan was laced with something.. “ It’s right up there with Lemmy’s “We’re moving like a parallelogram”… It sticks in your head, you’ll never forget it.. It’s a fantastic earworm..
There is nothing on here you will NOT want to air guitar to.. Nekröfeist DEFINITELY has the ‘it’ factor and work as a cohesive unit.. Hard-hitting, This is one to watch out for, kiddies.. iPod-worthy? OH HELL YES! Nekrofeist are going to make one hell of an impact.. I’m looking forward to hearing new material from this bunch.. Fuckin’ ‘ell.. I just hope the world is ready.. At least I am after being lucky enough to get this band handed to me to review.. - The Metal Review

...we welcomed NEKROFEIST to the stage. These guys are extremely experienced musicians and gel well together on-stage after only being in this line up for a few years. They have the persona of an act that could have been gigging for decades. Even with a dwindling, disappointingly small wet-weather crowd facing them, these professionals still gave their all and made the best of a bad situation. This is a true sign of a pro band that knows how to perform under any circumstance.

Nekrofeist's blend of classic and more modern commercial metal is easy on the ears and can appeal to a wide chunk of metal heads. Singles 'Nerve Rack' and 'Kills Everything' sounded brutal live and very well executed. I hope to see these guys again with their own fans behind them so I get the full force of Nekrofeist. - Mystic Metal Webzine