Black metal and drag were born to do some kind of crossover; as someone who’s been backstage at both events, dodging snazaroo facepaint pots in the dark looks the same whether it’s for blastbeats or cabaret. Plus, everyone is fond of spikes and smouldering eye looks. And everyone has an alter ego!
So the corpsepaint/ burlesque crossover of Necrosexual hits a certain vibe, particularly for anyone who is thrilled to see queer spaces opening in heavy metal. And musically, the three-track EP is campy and daft, swinging between full-throttle speed metal, tight moody passages and thunderous, surprisingly deft and nimble percussion. There are shades of bands like Lightning Swords of Death here as well as the power of classic forebears like Judas Priest, and there’s a lot going on to communicate that sense of momentum and power; Grim Jim wails his way through the songs, complimenting the crunchy guitar onslaught, and the blistering solos – appropriately outrageous – are fittingly bewildering and explosive.
The EP is impressively lewd, with ‘Screamin’ for the Steamin’ Demon Semen’ a particular highlight – high energy, throaty and daft. Grim Jim has built a reputation of being a sort of horny, kvlt take on someone like Nardwuar the Human Serviette, and it feels appropriate to expand that strange energy into a musical project that straddles a lot of lines which don’t intersect all that often; the self-appointed Joan Rivers of Heavy Metal will certainly ruffle feathers with this release. The will to transgress doesn’t always lead down dark paths; sometimes you get something, silly and outrageous, an aesthetic which isn’t common to black metal – but for longtime fans weary of the humourlessness of it all, this may well be a welcome shift.
Seeds of Seduction is a very specific vibe but a good time, gross and lewd and sexy and fun, and it shows the character to be more than just a novelty reviewer. I cannot believe I typed some of the things in this review, but I’m pleased to have done so.
Seeds of Seduction is out on September 3rd, with cassettes available via Folkvangr Records. Order here.
Words: Tom Coles
