Band Origin: Stockholm, Sweden
Genre: Black Death Metal
Release Date: 2009
Album downloads only available to members
Album Info / Review
**Album Review – Necrophobic: *Death to All***
*Release: 2003 (Remastered reissue)*
*Style: Norwegian thrash‑black fusion*
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### Overview
*Death to All* stands as a polarizing chapter in Necrophobic’s career—a hard‑cut, relentless hunk that ripped deathmote aesthetics into the service of pure thrash aggression. The record rushes forward with little regard for atmosphere, yet it reveals a raw ferocity that makes each chorus feel like a gut punch. For fans of high‑tempo, punchy riffs and unforgiving vocal delivery, this album delivers on all fronts; for those who lean into sweeping, cinematic riffs, it leaves some riffs feeling rushed and underdeveloped.
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## Sound & Production
From the first bar, you hear the unmistakable thwack of a distortion‑laden, mid‑range focused guitar tone. The production leans heavily into the “mid‑90s black metal” aesthetic: slightly over‑compressed, with a tight stereo image that places guitars and drums in a claustrophobic cage. The drum tracks are punchy—mid‑cut kick, hard‑tapped snare, and a snappy clip of snare and kick on each first beat, walls of blast‑cym. The mixer often isolates the guitar timbres, giving individual riff strands their own sonic space, which keeps the mid‑range from becoming muddled despite the trio of distortion layers.
Bass lines sit comfortably no deeper than the lower mids—almost a backing grunt—and rarely break away from the rhythm section. The vocal tracks, consistently treated as an instrument rather than a separate channel (sometimes slightly recessed, sometimes brilliant), give the album an aggressive edge. Production quality was solid for a 2001 release but not pristine; there is notably less sonic clarity—a deliberate choice to hit thicker on the listener’s psyche.
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## Atmosphere
Unlike many of their early releases that leaned into the bleak atmosphere of black metal, *Death to All* chooses a more streamlined, battle‑cry vibe. The record feels like an underground speedster, built on the precise execution of riff cycles. The album’s ambience is metallic steel and cranked amps, punctuated by occasional guttural growls that add a stinging high‑end crack. In later tracks, a faint sense of “caged darkness” emerges—isolated synth bits or reverb‑heavy guitar layers suggesting a cold, industrial feel. The thematic content is recorded on sound, emphasizing a kind of nihilistic aggression, and the album’s pacing supports this claustrophobic environment.
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## Riffs & Songwriting
1. **Intro – “Echoes of Doom”**
The opening track rushes with a simple yet relentless riff, repeating until the blast‑kicks deliver a thunderous wall. The chord-change at the 1:30 mark adds a quick “breakdown” feel, almost reminiscent of early Slayer.
2. **Main Body – “Dead Laid Out”**
Mid‑tempo. A fast, galloping figure sprinkles classic thrash vocal syncopation. Taking some of the band’s signature “marching” gimmick, the riff feels tight, but the lack of melodic interludes reduces its lingering.
3. **Breakers – “Be Free, Stay Cruel”**
Delivers the gut‑punch riff with a hint of dissonance. A staggering riff kicks in at 1:45, ricocheting across the guitar track.
4. **Harder – “Hate the World”**
Designed to feel like a rattle‑cotton riff. An interesting half‑bass line splits onto the drums later. Boom‑boom glitch emerges, adding a brooding beat.
5. **Public Enemies – “This Moment”**
Mua–, a traditional thrash riff clashing with an etched screamed vocal line that blends grimness and intensity.
Across the record, the guitar lines rarely branch out into intricate shred. Instead, they focus on rapid down‑strokes that keep the momentum unbroken. The hooks, while straightforward and polished, are coveted for the resonant “one‑look, you’ve got the scoop” effect, making the listening experience sound like a speed‑run.
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## Production Depth
A notable feature in the mix is the presence of a prominent mid‑range “growl” on every riff. This lends the album a coarse texture, as if a single amp fed the entire instrumentation. Thumb‑till‑core production keeps each track in close proximity in the overall mix, producing an almost instant crushing sensation. A handful of tracks features a pop‑like cut in instrumentation that suggests an experimental goal: adding a layer that glows with a clear cymbal.
One disadvantage: the bass moves with the guitars almost too often; because it never has much freedom apart from the rhythm section, the bass sometimes blends into the guitar track—not entirely a flaw, but rather a limit on listening exploration.
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## Overall Impression
*Death to All* is a high‑voltage, thrill‑seeking album that delivers its black‑thrash message straight to the heart without retreating into subtle lyricism or atmospheric detail. It is a record that can be felt as much as heard, conjuring a feel that might trigger adrenaline spikes or a mental state in which you’re “Ready to look [sic]!” This distractions make the album a right‑of‑way for fans who seek straightforward, crushing riffs over nuanced instrumentation. The album’s unrelenting sound, coupled with a level of progressive, critics would say, sub‑rogane, give the album an instantaneous place among preceding black-metal cow. Overall, *Death to All* holds a respectable slot in a niche, wholeheartedly a (if not exactly fair or genuinely mid‑2000 release) milestone of the band’s output.
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