LIK

LIK     “Necro”

By Dr. Abner Mality

When it comes to pure Swedish death metal in the gruesome Stockholm tradition, there’s no more consistent band these days than LIK. These worshippers of all things DISMEMBER have yet to drop the ball despite their very derivative nature. And since the reformed DISMEMBER are really dragging their feet when it comes to getting new material out, LIK will gladly fill that gap.

“Necro” fits right in with previous releases “Misanthropic Breed” and “Carnage” and continues to hit the HM-2 sound right on its rotten skull. The chainsaw is revved up and ripping on all 10 tracks...only the piano on the last 10 seconds of “Rotten Inferno” provides any relief. As always, LIK prefer the faster side of Swedish death metal and guided missiles like “War Praise” and “Shred To Pieces” smash your brain in classic DISMEMBER style. Quite frankly, LIK has moved beyond iconic Swe-death bands like UNLEASHED and DESULTORY here.

As always, they know how to inject slower morbid riffs and surprising melody into their attack. That’s the mark of true Swedish death. Cuts like “Morgue Rat” and “In Ruins” show just how it should be done and honestly, even DISMEMBER themselves might find it hard to keep up with “Fields of Death” and “Rotten Inferno”.

Yes, the originality quotient with LIK is and always will be 0% but their mimicry remains absolutely masterful on “Necro”.

METAL BLADE RECORDS 

LIK