The Dutch act (they hail from the city of Apeldoorn) Black Rabbit was formed in 2014 and surprises us with a another (mini) album, called Warren Of Necrosis, nearly half a year after the stunning Chronolysis EP. Hey, are they re-issuing their debut demo, entitled Warren Of Necrosis? Well, no; actually this is a totally new recording, which accidentally (or better: on purpose) comes with the same title, Warren Of Necrosis. Once again: despite the same title, this new EP is NOT a re-release or a reworked / re-recorded version of that recording from 2020. Thanks for the confusion, guys!
And for your very undeniably important information: it’s self-released one more, this recording, heavily supported by the dedicated promotion channel of Hard Life Promotion. Thank you, Mike and co.
Original guitar players Hidde Hofland and Jelle Brekelmans, bassist Thijs Mulder, vocalist Nino Thomas and the recently recruited drummer Koen van der Voet, offer a four-tracker that lasts for 18:42 minutes. All four pieces last in between four and five minutes indeed. It’s released digitally, as well as on compact-disc in digipack format, and coming with quite strange, somewhat sarcastic darkened-green cover-artwork. It’s not new, for the visual aspects are extremely important to accompany the sonic universe characterized through Black Rabbit’s Music(k).
From point of execution, Warren Of Necrosis is another example of the diverse backgrounds of each member. This results in a diversified approach, a form of modern Death Metal with several alienated influences. With each release being conceptually based on psychological and metaphysical themes, this one delves even deeper into the entity known as the ‘Black Rabbit’, exploring the origins or, as the bio describes, ‘revealing the sacrifice, betrayal, and blasphemous devotion that transformed man into myth’.
This new effort is an expression of dynamism, energy and force. It stands for Death Metal - a contemporary approach for sure - yet it does include a refined dose of hyper-technical excellence, an undeniably important (and grandiose!) injection of Thrash Metal, and above all, an ‘own face’. More than before, these guys paint a new sonic landscape, totally their own courtesy, despite the many influences from both old-styled and more modern acts around.
Ah, let’s get to the point. What this quartet offers us, dear audience, is nothing less but an overwhelming, thunderous, highly-skilled approach of both the Old School, and injected by elements from the modernistic newer trends. Mind the Pagan / Folk inspired elements towards the end of Insurrection… Liberation, for example. Anyway… The drum patterns are of old: pounding, right-in-your-face blasts when needed, then again rumbling and thundering with a hint of integrity (yeah, whatever); or even martial in execution, when needed (cf. an intro like for Null And Void). The vocals, then again, are of an extremely insolent mood: grunting with a death-like timbre, added by a thrashing raspiness, yet still recognizable, acceptable, irresistible. The whole string-formation, then again, is like its own planet within a recently discovered solar system: wildly orbiting, unstoppably swirling around, yet maintaining its own strength, direction and focus. Fierce rhythms get injected with sharp solo-work, fine-tuned dual riffing and thunderous bass patterns the whole of the time. It’s not hyper-complex - at all - but the crafted techniques used are surprisingly refreshing. Refreshing and debilitating at once…
I’d like to end with another excerpt from the bio. With ‘Warren of Necrosis’, Black Rabbit opens the gates to the beginning of its own legend - a descent into the roots of corruption, identity, and transcendence. It’s a record that does more than tell a story; it creates a world - one that breathes, mutates, and devours. Once you enter the Warren, there is no return… I think it says it all…
https://blackrabbitnl.bandcamp.com/album/warren-of-necrosis-2
https://blackrabbitofficial.com/product/warrenofnecrosis-cd/