On Worm’s fourth full length Necropalace their dark elements have turned vampiric, as if the album art was intended to give you any other feeling. Opening with the intro track “Gates to the Shadowzone,” they begin a slow descent into evil that is quickly followed up by the 10-minute long title track. The wall of drums gives way to a swirling maelstrom of guitars courtesy of Wroth Septentrion and original member Phantom Slaughter’s shouted vocals begin to pierce the veil of secrecy that Worm thrive within.
There is a certain sense of grandeur contained within the leads and the underlying instrumentation, something that works in conjunction with the rest of the music to make it sound and feel as though it is more than the sum of its parts. There is a lot to digest with this one.
If you weren’t already convinced that the guitar work here is set to be next level, let “Halls of Weeping” continue to make up your mind. The opening riffs are as beautiful as they are haunting. With so many long form songs, it becomes all that more impressive for Worm to flesh out their songwriting in such a way that they continue to layer songs, sounding both fresh as well as self-referential. “The Night Has Fangs” puts a more literal name to this sanguine story before moving from vampires to dragons in the blink of an eye.
“Dragon Dreams” is another epic track where the decadence of keyboards is met with more darkness and an almost circuslike environment before slinking back into the shadows. The dichotomy of the beautiful solos against Phantom Slaughter’s dark and brooding vocal delivery are a masterclass in song structure, adding layers of elegance on top of vitriol. “Blackheart” sees the band emphasize more subtle and ethereal riffs while continuing to establish a mystique almost like Blood Incantation does with the cosmos, instead here focusing on vampirical and medieval motifs.
Necropalace careens towards a grandiose ending, and with “Witchmoon: The Infernal Masquerade” they may have outdone themselves with a 14-minute closer. The guest appearance of Marty Friedman (ex-Megadeth), whose signature shredding is a welcome addition to the album, doesn’t feel tacked on as the leads prior to this have felt like an ode to axe men like himself. Everything about this track and frankly this album has been so expertly crafted that eventually the music does all the talking and all one can do it sit back and revel in the robust resonance.
This is the sound of a band that has not only found its sound, but nearly perfected it all in one fell swoop. Musicianship, mood and atmosphere are the prevailing themes here more so than on any of their previous records. Worm have crafted one of the finest albums of the last decade with Necropalace, a dark and brooding adventure through darkness that is met with ample beauty amongst the chaos.
(released February 13, 2026 on Century Media Records)
Heavy Music HQ Rating:
Watch Worm – “Blackheart” Video
