Exclusive Stream: Herakleion’s Necroverse EP is a Brutal and Dark Nod to Their Predecessors
There’s been a lot of consternation about the future of metal as a genre. Who’s going to lead the charge? What will it sound like? Is it getting too digital and overproduced? All valid fears from oldheads and new bloods alike, but thanks to the efforts of bands like New Orleans’ Herakleion, there’s hope that the old ways will be preserved long into the future.
Crawling out of the swamps of Louisiana like a voracious gator looking for its next victim, Herakleion’s forthcoming EP Necroverse has the sort of menacing energy you’d expect from death metal bands of old. It’s that all-encompassing feeling that they’re set and comfortable with what they are and they give zero fucks if you agree with their methods. Either you’re on board or you’re not.
And let’s speak about those methods for a second. Unlike most modern bands these days that use digital tools and constantly work to perfect their final product to a fault, Herakleion decided to do things the way the genre’s forebears did — live in the studio, playing as a cohesive unit, and committing everything to an analog 24-track tape machine. And while the final product sounds clean and precise, it’s got a warmth to the overall tone that feels organic. They have a heft and play with such precision that it’s hard not to get excited for what these guys have in store.
A lot of that has to do with the fact that it was produced by Pete deBoer, who’s previously worked with the likes of Blood Incantation and Spectral Voice, among other bands. As a result of that collaboration, the five tracks below sound refreshing, while still maintaining that old school feel.
From the menacing riffage in “What Is, Was, And Will Forever Be” to the almost Chuck Schuldiner-esque playing in “Blood of Nessus,” it’s incredibly apparent that these guys are disciples of the greats. If you’re a long-time death metal fan and want to find out what the future of the genre sounds like, then sit your ass down, hit play down below, and let Necroverse wash over you like an unyielding torrent.
Necroverse will be released this Friday, September 13, but you can preorder your physical copy or digital copy today. The band also have some live dates coming up, which you can also check out below.
HERAKLEION Live:
9/13/2024 Feed N Seed – Lafayette, LA * Necroverse EP release show
9/26/2024 Handlebar – Pensacola, FL
9/27/2024 Brass Mug – Tampa, FL
9/28/2024 The S.P.O.T – Orlando, FL
9/29/2024 The Bark – Tallahassee, FL
