Unless you’re thirteen and pissed at the world, or eternally stoned in some depressive manic metal state, it's a little embarrassing to be a fan of Usurper. There's really no valid excuse or explanation. What with Diabolical Slaughter manning the "vokills" and latest lineup addition Carcass Chris on guitars, you could technically become the laughing stock of your co-workers and friends -- if you had any. But before you brand yourself "walking jackass", there's some validity to being a closet Usurper fan like me. Shit, did I admit that out loud?

Look past the ridiculous cliché metal and here's a band that not only sticks assiduously to its guns, but does a superb job of throttling old-school metal through a sieve of modernity. Album after album, this monstrous metal lineup has refined its sound into a gung-ho delivery of pumping double bass drums, razor sharp guitar riffs and an intense "vokill" delivery of troubling proportions. And if you’re needing a fix of enticing mega-metal-riffage, Ricky Scythe seems to have a limitless amount of them ready to spring from his pickups. The opening track, "The Incubus Breed," alternates between early Slayer-styled guitar riffs and machine gun drumming so precise that you’ll be awestruck by its perfect timing. It's not hard to imagine this tune blasting from Marshall amps, drowning an audience in aural infidelity. "Full Metal Maelstrom" is exactly what it sounds like -- a tempest of ferocity that will leave you soaking in a wash of devilish pleasure as ultra-quick guitar solos rush into your ear canals with stinging results. Usurper not only acknowledges its metal influences, it venerates them with a reawakening of early metal's true goal -- distorted power chord dominance. Even King Diamond himself lends his harrowing falsetto to the title track, truly thrashing any long time metal fan back to the past!

Metal fans take note: If there was ever a reincarnation of the seminal band Celtic Frost, Chicago's Usurper is it. Crunch-laden guitar riffs and guttural vocals will have you reminiscing about the '80s. Analyzing the details of ludicrous song titles and ridiculous band member names may be a bit embarrassing, but the bigger picture leaves you with a CD of unmatched terror. Necromenesis will leave everyone from the latest boy band to the most evil Swedish death metal posse impressed and aghast at Usurper's incredible ability to make metal's ends meet.