Although they released one of the first US death metal albums with 1987’s Season of the Dead (New Renaissance), Ohio natives Necrophagia have never been regarded as pioneers of the genre, instead more of a tired old sideshow masquerading under the banner of a ‘cult band.’ Despite the patronage of Phil Anselmo and the dogged nature of mainman Killjoy, Necrophagia just quite simply aren’t worthy of much attention when one considers how fertile the US scene currently is. It’s a problem they do little to address on seventh full-length WhiteWorm Cathedral (Season of Mist).
If mid-paced, plodding death metal that never even hints at stepping out of its comfort zone is your thing, then WhiteWorm Cathedral may hold some appeal. With its frequent use of horror movie samples, big chugging riffs and rasped vocals depicting morbid tales of violence, the supernatural and gore, Necrophagia have always played to the choir and over the course of 50 minutes they carry on the formula that is all they know to an almost religious level of conformity. Of course, the same accusation could be levelled at all manner of bands from AC/DC to Eyehategod, but the problem here is that most songs will have you reaching for the skip button and wondering when things are going to rise above the mundane. Unfortunately that moment never comes.
While the hefty chugging and ghostly keyboards of ‘Rat Witch’ may march onwards like a sinister George Romero zombie and the snaking riffs of ‘Angel Blake’ at least possesses a hook, the vast majority of WhiteWorm Cathedral is just too dull and generic to make any kind of lasting impression. Meat and potatoes without the gravy. Or should that be fleshy chunks without the blood?
Either way, this is one corpse that just needs to lie silent.
4.0/10
JAMES CONWAY