Exclusive Track Premiere: “Rotted Reunion” by Necromancing the Stone, featuring Current and Former Members of Arsis, The Absence, The Black Dahlia Murder, and Brimstone Coven
If we’re being completely honest, I’m not the world’s biggest trad metal fan. Most of the subgenre seems populated by boring Sabbath clones hoping no one notices that they’re just imitating the imitators of imitators. It’s a fine line between “homage” and “cliché,” and the majority of trad metal acts are on the wrong side of that line.
Every now and then, though, there’s an exception, a old-school-style metal band whose music is so undeniably magnetic that you can’t help but fall in love with them: bands like Ghost, Royal Thunder, and now, PRAISE SATAN, Necromancing the Stone.
Great name, right? But Necromancing the Stone are more than just a clever moniker; they’re a breath of fresh air from the endless monotony of droning, inharmonious breakdowns that seem to have staged a coup d’métal. Which isn’t all surprising, given their prestigious pedigree: the band is a supergroup of sorts, consisting of Arsis’ James Malone (guitars), The Absence’s Jeramie Kling (drums), former The Black Dahlia Murder bassist Ryan “Bart” Williams (bass), and Brimstone Coven’s “Big” John Williams (vocals) and Justin Wood (guitars).
What sets Necromancing the Stone apart from the pack is both their top-notch songwriting skills and, frankly, the fact that 60% of their line-up is culled from death metal bands: the music has a distinct nastiness to it, like the serrated edge of a machete caked in the dried blood of its victims, which is uncommon for trad. That extra little bit of aggression makes all the difference in the world, enhancing and transforming the music into something more than just the world’s billionth band who want the world to know that they’ve listened to Blue Öyster Cult.
Which is why MetalSucks is chuffed to debut “Rotten Reunion,” a totally kick-ass new track from this soon-to-be-revered band. Stream it below, but be forewarned: it’s as catchy as ebola. (You can stream another track by the band, “From Graves to Infamy,” here.) And make sure you keep up with Necromancing the Stone via Facebook and Twitter… fingers crossed, we’ll get some details of a debut release soon!
