Artist: Necrochakal
Country: Greece
Label: Floga Records
Formats: LP / CD
Year: 2025
Since the band’s formation some 12 years ago, Necrochakal from Athens, Greece, has tormented the ears of followers of the Extreme Metal underground. Yet they have done so by the means of a good amount of short players as the band’s first full-length album wasn’t released until last month. That means you had to dig a little deeper to come across Necrochakal, most of their releases came about through somewhat smaller Greek labels such as Fistbang Records, Metal Throne Productions and Hell’s Fire Records, but now the also Greek but larger Floga Records took the band under its wing for the release of their debut record.
If you had the chance to listen to some of the band’s earlier material you’ve most likely already embraced Necrochakal’s ferocious and menacing Black/Thrash Metal. On ‘Golgothian Orgies Of Bestial Lust’ the band clearly takes their unrefined craft to the next level. Basically nothing that you’ll hear on this 35-minute debut album is really new, not for the band nor for the genre as a whole. Yet, the difference between these newly recorded tracks and the band’s back catalogue is rather large, but just not in the overarching aesthetics or cosmetics. It’s the small details and the sheer conviction that comes with a clearly updated sound that makes this a different record.
The guitars are provided with a sharp sound, but are tucked away a little deeper in the mix to give full exposure to pounding drums and especially vocalist Babis “Bestial Invocator” Lainis (ex-Drakon Ho Megas). These insanely loud and rabid-sounding vocals give the album the aggressive and swirling character that even leans towards the Bestial/War Metal genre. Not something that is totally new to Necrochakal, but it is definitely much more prominent on ‘Golgothian Orgies Of Bestial Lust’ – perhaps the title already betrayed the slight shift in this musical emphasis.
As a whole you can conclude that this debut album has been a long time coming, but I think the rather long period of demoing and releasing short players paid dividends as ‘Golgothian Orgies Of Bestial Lust’ is a strong and convincing record.
