Necrofier kept the black flame burning in 2023. Back at the beginning of summer, their new album was hailed upon arrival by Distorted Sound as "another stunning slab of black metal". A&P Reacts praised the way the band's raw energy compliments the warmer touches of GRAMMY-nominated producer Joel Hamilton. Burning Shadows in the Southern Night also landed on Heaviest of Art's year-end list for best cover art.
The Houston black metal band are now prepared to keep all that fiery momentum going well into the new year. These four horsemen are saddling up for Decibel Magazine's 2024 Tour.
Headlining the longest-running metal tour in North America next year are Northwest black metal executioners Hulder. This will mark Decibel's 11th nationwide tour. It'll also celebrate the magazine's 20th anniversary. Joining the party are Philly vampunk warriors Devil Master and Floridian blackened doom swam things Worm.
"Total Southern Darkness across America!" says Necrofier guitarist and vocalist Christian Bakka Larson. "We are excited to embark on this journey with such good company".
Get tickets: https://www.decibelmagazine.com/events/tour/
Decibel Magazine 2024 Tour Dates
February 21- Roseville, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post [TICKETS]
February 22 - Oakland, CA @ Thee Stork Club
February 23 - Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex
February 24 - San Diego, CA @ Brick by Brick
February 25 - Mesa, AZ @ The Nile
February 27 - Austin, TX @ Empire Control Room
February 28 - Dallas, TX @ Trees [TICKETS]
March 1 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade [TICKETS]
March 2 - Orlando, FL @ The Abbey [TICKETS]
March 3 - Miami, FL @ Gramps [TICKETS]
March 5 - Greensboro, NC @ Hangar 1819 [TICKETS]
March 6 - Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage [TICKETS]
March 8 - Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts [TICKETS]
March 9 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Monarch [TICKETS]
March 10 - Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East
March 12 - New Kinsington, PA @ Preserving Underground [TICKETS]
March 13 - Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop [TICKETS]
March 14 - Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick [TICKETS]
March 15 - Chicago, IL @ Reggies
March 16 - St. Louis, MO @ Red Flag [TICKETS]
March 17 - Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck [TICKETS]
March 18 - Denver, CO @ HQ
The Decibel 2024 Tour is presented by 20 Buck Spin and is sponsored by Pull the Plug Patches, Relapse Records, Night Shift Merch, Hell's Heroes and Magnanimous Brewing.
Burning Shadows in the Southern Night is out now on Season of Mist
Order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/NecrofierBSitSN
Stream: http://httsp//orcd.co/necrofierbsitsn
But just because the Decibel tour is winding down in March, doesn't mean that Necrofier are cooling off. The band are burning rubber all the way to the legendary Milwaukee Metal Fest! They'll light up the stage on Friday, May 17 alongside labelmates and fellow American black metal conspirators Profanatica!
Get tickets: https://www.etix.com/ticket/e/1040289/milwaukee-metal-fest-2024-milwaukee-the-rave-eagles-club
Decibel recently premiered Necrofier's sinister video for "Destroying Angels".
While it's awfully hard to pick just one, "Destroying Angels" might be the most satantic track on Burning Shadows in the Southern Night. Dobber Beverly is so cold and merciless behind the drum kit that his fills could flay flesh. "Sacrifice my life in blood", Larson screams. His bloodlust sounds so murderous, it's like he's being burned at the stake by those searing guitar riffs.
"'Destroying Angels is about transforming yourself into something new after learning things you believed to be true were not. The song was also written while on mushrooms and lyrically is inspired by Selim from The Devil's Blood. RIP'
Watch what happens when a harem of witches catch an innocent princess wandering through their enchanted forest.
https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2023/09/12/video-premiere-necrofier-destroying-angels/
Deep within the scorching cauldron of Texas, the alchemists of Necrofier have brewed another potent dose of American black metal with their sophomore full-length, ‘Burning Shadows in the Southern Night.’ The Houston four-piece honors the time-tested virtues of traditional black and heavy metal, even taking an organic sonic approach, tapping seven-time Grammy-nominated producer and engineer Joel Hamilton (Unsane, Tom Waits, Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown, etc.) to lend his magic touch for a natural sound.
“The goal going into the new record was to start setting ourselves apart from our contemporaries,” explains Necrofier drummer Dobber Beverly. “One of those ways was changing what the record sounded like. Moving away from the clinical and sterile nature that most productions suffer from and back into a real room with real instruments and performances. Our friend and esteemed producer/engineer Joel Hamilton had expressed interest in venturing back into the metal world and offered to make the record with us at his facility, Studio G Brooklyn. The results will speak for themselves hopefully, as this record breathes and spits fire wherever it’s played.”
“Dobber and Joel have become good friends since they recorded the last Oceans of Slumber album with him, adds Necrofier guitarist and vocalist Bakka. "After that, Joel wanted to record something heavy, so we made the trip to New York City to record in his legendary studio. It was an amazing experience in a great studio; besides having all the gear, he also created an environment where we challenged ourselves and brought everything up to the next level.”
‘Burning Shadows in the Southern Night’ doesn’t just simply pick off where Necrofier’s debut album left off, but displays a conscientious effort to double down on the elements that made ‘Prophecies of Eternal Darkness’ successful. The solos are more plentiful and intricate, the hooks are more anthemic, and the overall musicianship is bolder and more daring. Speaking of the band’s evolution, Bakka explains, “I think this collection of songs represents us very well. We have grown together as a band and it shows in the new songs. Also, for this record we flew to NYC and recorded all day long for 10 days straight. I love recording this way because it captures a certain magic. The whole band is immersed in the process and it's all we would think, do, live and breathe during the process.”
Another core facet of Necrofier’s allure is being a black metal band from Texas. “Where you live always helps shape someone,” says Bakka. “It helps shape our style and tone in ways, it’s hot most of the year, so as we burn, it gives us warmer tones and more of a heavy metal influence than when compared to our brothers from the North."
To that avail, Necrofier isn’t your typical black metal band, and so this isn’t your typical black metal record as there’s a healthy amount of traditional metal influences, particularly within the guitar work. While conceptually, the band doesn’t heavily rely on Satanic themes, exploring deeper human philosophies and the occult like burning for your dreams or spiraling out on a psychedelic trip and exploring the beyond. “While there isn’t overt satanic worship in the lyrics, I would still say that he is a friend of ours,” Bakka cheekily says. “There are Occult themes on this record, but at the same time, it does take a philosophical approach.”
Further illustrating the influence of their environment, Necrofier also heavily explores one of Southern America’s most fabled myths. “The new record touches on selling your soul at the crossroads,” adds Bakka. “I like to take a different approach and touch on the elements of the esoteric world and dive into the forbidden or hidden that surrounds us in our lives every day.”
As the Texan black metal outlaws saddle up for record two, they are leading the charge as one of the contemporary purveyors of black metal revivalism. ‘Burning Shadows in the Southern Night’ is certain to elicit a sense of nostalgia for those who dare to lay ears on this vicious new offering.
Lineup:
Bakka – Vocals, Guitar
Semir Ozerkan – Guitars
Dobber Beverly – Drums
Mat Valentine - Bass
Guest Musicians:
Cammie Beverly (Oceans of Slumber) – Vocals on “The All Seeing Shadows” and “The Fall From Heaven”
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/Necrofier
https://twitter.com/necrofier
https://www.instagram.com/necrofier/
https://necrofier.bandcamp.com
Producer/Sound Engineer/Mixing: Joel Hamilton at Studio G, Brooklyn, NY, USA
Mastering: Maor Appelbaum at Maor Appelbaum Mastering
Cover Art: Burney
Stream: https://orcd.co/necrofierbsitsn
Order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/NecrofierBSitSN