1431 – A date which still fascinates the mankind hundreds of years later. With the birth of Vlad Tepes the history barely wrote so many legends around a person like it did for no other figure. Even though the man with the stakes only had vampire characteristics because of his doings, he is the basis for legendary figures like Bram Stokers Dracula or NECRODEATH’s concept album Draculea. Once more Dracula is put in the perspective.
And the Italians do it quite well! It starts with the appetizingly cover: after Marilyn Manson, Fear Factory, Billy Idol and some other Chad Michael Ward eternalizes himself with his bleak, threatening and erotic interpretation of vampirism for NECRODEATH. Dracula’s birth also is herald, bleak and threatening. V.T. 1431 is a 4,5 minute intro which bears demonic and conjuring voices before the first Thrash Metal wrecking ball called Smell Of Blood thunders out of the speakers. The career of 25 years by now can’t recognize in any way – Draculea already entertains perfectly at every moment till now. Vlad Tepes surely had fun while joining the Party In Tirgoviste. “No one survive” is said in the lyrics, no wonder, ‘cause an army with the strength of 10.000 men was smashed. The survivors were staked or used to build up a fortress. Even without this information pictures are set free in the head while listening to this song – successful realized. The next Thrash crusher Fragments Of Insanity gets you back to reality without mercy. Draculea – live to kill, kill to live… A calmer site in the book of Vlad Tepes is flipped up again. Once again this song convince with its technical precision and the art to let you drown into another world. Countess Bathory doesn’t really fit into the concept, but it is played as easy as Venom played this classic. This makes it to a cool cover version. The Golden Cup is more experimental but at the same high level. The Cup is Dracula’s symbol for order and fidelity. The vocals are reduced to a narrative voice at the beginning but therefore the song is characterized by its ingenious structure and variety – absolutely enthralling. Impaler Prince unifies all aspects of this release before the circle closes – at least for this album – with the dying of V.T. 1476. Like the intro the outro also has soundtrack qualities.
NECRODEATH realized in an absolutely competent way what they tried to reach with this concept album. Draculea teems with variety and the art to transform the music into a canvas. Those of you who count bands like Slayer, Destruction, Exodus to his heroes have to check this release out. However, points are deducted because of six real new songs only. The myths around Vlad Tepes can be cannibalized several times over. Will he turns over in his grave because of less attention? I don’t think so – his corpse wasn’t found when the grave was opened in 1931…