In Memories of Fire Review

Band	Nekroholocaust
Album	In Memories of Fire
Type	Album (Studio full-length)
Released	July 1, 2005
Genres	Black Metal, Death Metal
Labels	Mercenary Musik
Length	52:39
Ranked	#52 for 2005 , #1,897 all-time

Reviewer :  Edster         Rating :  92 / 100

Hailing from the Barrios of Boyle Heights-Los Angeles, CA USA came the Death Machine Nekroholocaust, a band of which not much is known. To this date, 2011 to be exact, many fans and curious souls have been dumbfounded as to the authenticity of this release right down to the fact that many believe this is fake. Well I am here to say that everything that this Band has stated as far as release dates are concerned is 100% accurate!! I know this to be true because I knew these guys very well and know all the details surrounding this recording and release. Eight out of the Nine tracks were recorded live in a studio on One Take with zero overdubs or sampling or anything. Just a straight forward assault of the scences that leaves you with the impression that regardless of it being tight or perfect!! they just wanted to get their ideas out to the masses as soon as possible. This concept comes thru loud and clear on this recording, all the concepts and titles and ideas and sounds were taken intact as to maintain there integrity, no perservatives or additives and definitely no outside influences since other than Mayhem and Morbid Angel no other group could compare as far as the rawness and brutal nature of the music.

Originally recorded as a Demo to attract Music Label interest this Demo found my hands way back in 1989 but what at first threw me of was the name of the Band. They were Necrophagia LA for the better part of 4 years and yes this is the same Band that recorded the excellent Demo "It Began with a Twisted Dream" in 1986. Consisting of founding memgers Jerry Battle-Guitars, Eddie Santiago Vocals & Bass they recruited the services of Memo Mora (ex-Infamy) on Guitars and Jimmy Sotelo (ex Bloodcum) on Drums and went on to change their style from Thrash/Death to more of a Black Metal sound, the biggest change being the Vocals of Eddie Santiago (Incinerator) and what a change it was!!!

The music on this release is harsh and brutal and all that but with atmosphere and melody and grace if you will and for its time a Seminal Recording that if not for their untimely breakup in 1989 would have certainly changed the landscape of the Genre. Burning Galleries and Deny the Cross were taken from their "It began with a twisted dream" demo but made much more brutal especially with the vocals on display. Songs 1 & 4 and 5 thru 9 are just epic pieces of Metal Mastery with lots of tempo change and hateful lyrics and brutal as hell vocals. Each song clocks in way over 5 minutes but it is seamless and you don't really mind because the music is so insane and thought provoking that it makes you listen harder thru the shit production that is definitely the down point of this Release but hey for a One take demo recorded live, it far surpasses expectations. "Army of Infamy", Axis of Evil finishes this Album and is a track I had never heard from this but from what I have been able to gather was also recorded live on One take but this time in there Garage!! and this song is a tremondous way to end this Record. On display you will hear all the elements that I feel would have made Nekroholocaust or should I say Necrophagia LA a force to be reckend with but sadly, we will never know since they broke up shortly after this song was recorded for unknown reasons.