LIK – Necro

Die-hard Swedish death metal fans know exactly who we mean, even if this band wasn’t around 30 years ago like the genre’s pioneers—and the reasons are clear.

 

Lik, formed in 2014, has spent a decade building a solid, experienced lineup: guitarist/vocalist Tomas Åkvik and bassist Joakim Antman moonlight in Bloodbath; second guitarist Niklas Sandin also plays bass in Katatonia; and drummer Chris Barkensjö is a former member of Repugnant, Witchery, and General Surgery.

 

They have covered much ground in their careers and push forward with unwavering dedication, fully committed to the most traditional Swedish death metal. Their first three albums—Mass Funeral Evocation (2015), Carnage (2018), and Misanthropic Breed (2020)—never disappointed, even if at times predictable or formulaic, consistently delivering tracks well above average. With the latest release, Necro, the bar has been raised even higher: the band sticks to its classic sound while executing it with mastery and dynamism.

 

The opener, Deceased, is as Swedish as it gets. It features an Entombed-style intro and Dismember-like verses. Well-placed tempo changes add a healthy touch of originality. The intensity continues with tracks like War Praise and The. The latter is slower and more monumental, dragging the listener through relentless headbanging passages and flawless solos. Songs such as Worms Inside a Morgue Rat maintain the tension and lead into crushing tracks like In Ruins and The Stockholm Massacre. While rooted in revivalist sensibilities, these songs never feel stale. Even the more melodic moments evolve organically through multipletone shifts. Slower tracks like the closing Rotten Infern, inspired by Autopsy, are handled expertly and avoid any sense of copy-and-paste repetition.

 

In short, Lik is a band that knows how to stand on its own. Necro is proof of that, showcasing a group that, fully aware of working within a tried-and-tested sound, has made it feel fresh, dynamic, and thoroughly alive.