The End of the Line

The story of Necropolis is puzzling and bizarre. I have scoured the internet to compile as much information as I could find, and this review will illuminate this forgotten alcove of death metal history. From what I can gather, Necropolis began with Steve Clarke. He was a highly regarded drummer with a deep resume, playing with countless musicians and leading a jazz/fusion band (Network) since the mid-1980s. Network was presumably influenced by Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever and Soft Machine, and have existed in various guises over the years.

Meanwhile, Clarke established a foothold in the metal scene. He drummed for Atom God (a minor UK act that featured Tank bassist Algy Ward), which folded in 1993. Three years later he enlisted his former Atom God band-mates (Ward, Billy Liesegang and Trev Toms) to join Network, along with a death metal vocalist (Sven Olafson from Gomorrah). In 1996, Network recorded "L.N.C." (London Necropolis Company), perhaps the only example of true death metal jazz/fusion ever made. This album didn't come out until 1999, but Clarke and the band stuck around long enough to record another album under the name of Necropolis. The result, "The End of the Line" had the same core line-up as "L.N.C." with some new peripheral players including Fast Eddie Clarke from Motörhead.

"The End of the Line" isn't jazz like "L.N.C." was. It sounds more like NWOBHM (notice the cover art and the Neat Records association), with some death metal vocals. The other influence is an older style of improvisational blues/rock music (such as Cream and Jimi Hendrix). Contemporary UK metal magazines framed Necropolis as a death metal supergroup of old session musicians who were frustrated with a lack of musicianship in the genre. The premise sounded intriguing but the band sank without trace. I remember a couple of lukewarm reviews but I never saw the album sold in any shops. Perhaps this was because I was looking in the 'metal' section rather than in the 'jazz' section (where Steve Clarke's main entry would have been).

I didn't miss out. This is an awkward, unsatisfying album. It resembles death metal (with double-kick drumming and growling), but it doesn't feel like death metal. The NWOBHM guitar tone dampens an otherwise decent production. The focus on guitar improvisation means there are bluesy solos and long, rambling songs. The ten-minute "Shadowman" is the ultimate example of this. The break at 5:30 develops into an improvised rock-ish solo, exactly the type of thing that thrash and death metal had jettisoned. The solos on this album are blistering, but they don't energise the music like in real death metal. Equivalent criticisms can be made of Clarke's drumming. He is a brilliant drummer, but he sounded better playing the jazz/fusion style in Network. His drumming in Necropolis is precise and technically impeccable, but he doesn't make the drums rattle and crash like, say, Donald Tardy.

The band's biggest problem is that they treat death metal as if thrash and hardcore punk never happened. This album assumes that death metal arose directly from the bluesier end of the NWOBHM. This misinterpretation makes comparisons with other death metal bands difficult, but not impossible. The pace sometimes reminds me of Necrophagia's "Season of the Dead" (without the grit and barbarity). The best comparison is probably Deceased, who were also blending death metal with traditional metal in 1997 on "Fearless Undead Machines". Comparing Necropolis with Deceased shows how limited Necropolis were. They cannot compete with Deceased's passion and affinity for the genre. Where Deceased sound breezy and catchy, Necropolis sound staid and static. Any casual death metal fan would be able to hear the difference, and of course Deceased were influenced by thrash and hardcore.

This record is best seen as a failed experiment. Clarke and his band of talented musicians misunderstood the essence of death metal; vigor, momentum, atmosphere, enthusiasm, untutored musicality. "The End of the Line" is a fascinating listen, and might be ahead of its time in some respects, but it is also a boring listen. Curiosity is the only reason to check this album out, which may be reason enough. To clarify, Network's “L.N.C.” is a much better record and is recommended to death metal fans seeking a challenge.

Peculiar and (I believe) often misunderstood, the sole album from the UK's Necropolis was possibly the first attempt at piecing together some actual NWOBHM style music with death metal vocals (and no, I'm not counting Venom). While I wouldn't be surprised to hear a band attempt this in these retro times of late, this was pretty novel for 1997. Vocals and bass were provided by members of fellow 90s UK death metal act Gomorrah. Guitars and drums from cult speed metal band Atom God.

Whether it succeeds or not is up for debate. The vocals do fit really well over the music, but is the music itself anything more than average for its style? Not really. I like the nice crisp production of the record, but the riffs leave a lot to be desired. The majority are extremely simple and seem like they took no more than 60 seconds to whip up. There are barely any hints of death metal riffing whatsoever, though a few thrash riffs appear (in "The Bitterness I Taste" for example).

I certainly wouldn't be opposed to a successful union of these two styles, but I'm not sure Necropolis was that union. Aside from its novelty there is little reason to remember this. Yet it exists, and may be notable for taking such a stab in the dark.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

Oh man, where the hell do I start? I have never listened to any CD as mind-numbingly terrible as this. Necropolis calls themselves death metal, but I fail to see how this could be even remotely considered that. Ugh, I never want to hear this shit ever again.

The CD opener Victim tries hard to entice you as it starts with double bass and a jazz-influenced guitar solo. This wouldn't be so bad if this band was a technical jazz-influenced death metal, but Necropolis isn't. The thing this band is lacking is soul. Their playing is so lifeless, the vocals are so bland, and the drumming is so weak. The guitar tone is flat, almost no force behind it at all. It's the most bland "death metal" album I've ever heard...actually, it's probably the most bland album in general I've ever heard. It's amazing that the band made most of the songs drag on as long as they did. I'm surprised they didn't get sick of playing this crap.

I was flipping through the CD booklet and I failed to find a picture of the singer anywhere. The rest of the members were there (and they looked like an 80's hair metal band with down syndrome), but no singer. My only guess is that he was ashamed to be playing with Necropolis and didn't want his face shown. Makes sense I guess; I wouldn't want to be associated with this shit either. Don't listen to this. That's the only conclusion I can come to.