NECROSIC "Putrid Decimation" CD

Eric Cutler, having long served in his role as a founding and current member of the legendary Autopsy, is unquestionably one of the most technically-proficient and well-respected guitarists in the history of death metal. In 2016, almost thirty years after having first been introduced on the inaugural Autopsy demo, Cutler seeks to further expand his already wide footprint with his newest band, Necrosic, a five-piece outfit that also incorporates the talents of Sean McGrath (Impaled), Erika Osterhout (Scolex), Charlie Koryn (Ascended Dead), and Christian LaRocca (Gravehill). With its four-song debut EP, “Putrid Decimation,” Necrosic illustrates why the timeless sound pioneered by Autopsy and others decades ago remains just as relevant today. Beginning with the frantic opening sequence of “Vomit Transmutation,” Cutler clearly confirms that he has not lost a step in either his capacity to write or execute some of the most memorable death metal guitar riffs ever recorded. Whereas this opening track and “Squirming in Your Guts” both serve to highlight how effective a well-written, sub-four-minute song can be, the other two tracks on this EP truly showcase Cutler and Company’s compositional skills. “Spawn of Radiation” and “My Casket Drains,” the real masterpieces of this recording, employ various tempo shifts, sporadically-implemented guitar harmonies, and precisely-woven leads that erupt from, dance atop, and disappear within Bolt Thrower-like rhythm vamps. All the while, McGrath’s rabid vocals spew forth mutterings of death and decay, and thus remind one of the original putrefied cesspool upon which the subgenre was once erected. In a time when countless bands seek to pay homage to the glory years of death metal through mere imitation of their influences, Necrosic, with its pedigree once again reaffirmed by this current offering, demonstrates that there is often no reliable substitute for experience.