For all intents and purposes, Sweden is a haven for all things death metal. It’s quite a phenomenon as there is just always a band of note pumping out something new and fresh to keep the country’s reputation strong in perpetuity without a shred of compromise to be had in any of the releases. That streak continues well into today with there only being one question one could have for such a matter: who is going to deliver the goods next? A long five years since their last outing, the timely return of Lik feels extremely feeling fitting for these times we find ourselves in.

Even if you find yourself a clear cut above much of the competition for one reason or another, there is always room for improvement. We all have something to learn in our own specialties whether it comes in the form of a big lesson that has eluded us for years or the subtleties that can slip through the fingers of even the most proficient of veterans. Having become synonymous with much of what’s great in the wider realm of Swedish death metal, Lik has never been one to shy away from self-improvement with each subsequent album having some new lesson(s) that allows the record to feel more dynamic than its predecessor, and that’s no different with the band’s fourth effort, “Necro”. By all accounts, this is a record that was made to be as much an evolution for Lik’s sound as much as it’s meant to be representative of what it always has been. Complete with the riffage that Lik has built their reputation off of alongside the varying tempo and constant aggression that allows “Necro” is become a truly imposing and captivating work of death metal from top to bottom, what Lik put forth here should not be seen as some of the band’s best material to date. It’s always tempting to say that with every new record from talent of exceptional quality that comes before us, yet I cannot help but find myself feeling any other way when I take into consideration all that was done and accomplished within the terrifying chasms of “Necro”.

To watch masters at work is a privilege of itself in so many different forms, and it never gets old to watch Lik weave their macabre magic in such a way that it puts much of the competition to shame damn near instantly. A slab of true Swedish death metal that holds nothing back while celebrating where the band has been while simultaneously charging forward, it’s the very whole of “Necro” that never once disappoints.

“Necro” releases on April 18th via Metal Blade Records!

LISTEN to singles from “Necro” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Lik on Facebook here.