Houston black metal outfit Necrofier have been steadily building momentum since emerging in 2018, combining the icy atmosphere of second-wave Norwegian black metal with a distinctly American intensity. With their latest album Transcend Into Oblivion, released through Metal Blade Records, the band have taken a significant step forward both musically and creatively.
When I caught up with Bakka, the band’s vocalist and guitarist, it was only a week after the record had finally reached listeners around the world. For Bakka, the biggest relief was simply seeing the music escape the studio and take on a life of its own.
“You record a record and it just sits around for a year where no one hears it except maybe a couple of people close to you. So it’s great seeing all the reception now. The feedback has been really good, and it’s great to finally have it out there.”
While Necrofier’s previous releases established their dark melodic foundation, Transcend Into Oblivion represents something of a turning point. Signing with Metal Blade Records opened a new chapter for the band, and the album itself pushes their sound further into aggressive and atmospheric territory.
“We have a new label, and I feel like the record itself is a lot more aggressive than our previous ones. We used a bunch of extra synths and things to create atmosphere, we introduced a new logo for the album, and overall there’s just a lot of new elements. So yeah, it definitely feels like a new chapter.”
Part of that evolution came from a different approach to recording. Rather than rushing through sessions as they had in the past, the band allowed the songs more space to develop before entering the studio.
“Usually it’s like a week and a half or two weeks where you just blast through the whole thing and it’s done. This time we didn’t rush it. We took the time we needed to get everything right.”
The change also extended to performance style. Instead of over-rehearsing parts, the band leaned into spontaneity, resulting in a more organic and raw energy across the record.
“We didn’t rehearse the album before going into the studio. We just recorded the tracks and laid down the drums. I approached the vocals the same way. I had an idea of what I wanted to do, but I didn’t over-rehearse it like I had in the past. I think that helped keep things wild and gave it more of that live feeling.”
Conceptually, Transcend Into Oblivion feels more like a journey than a collection of individual tracks. The album unfolds through three distinct acts exploring themes of awakening, struggle and transformation. For Bakka, the concept emerged naturally during the writing process rather than being forced from the start.
“I started with the idea of wanting to explore that concept, but at first I didn’t know if it would just be one song or something bigger. As I started writing, the songs all began going in that direction and everything began to flow together.”
Interwoven throughout the album are atmospheric instrumental passages that act as transitions between the different acts. Rather than being simple filler, these pieces were intentionally developed to enhance the listening experience and deepen the record’s cinematic atmosphere.
“We’ve done interludes on records before, but they were usually short ideas that weren’t really fully developed. With these we wanted them to feel more like complete pieces rather than filler.”
Musically, Necrofier draw heavily from the classic second wave of black metal while still carving out their own identity. Bakka cites the genre’s Scandinavian roots as a major influence, something that also connects to his own personal background.
“We definitely leaned into the second wave black metal influences on this one – bands like Immortal, Emperor and Gorgoroth. There’s more blasting on this record than we’ve done in the past.”
Despite those traditional influences, the band also experiments with atmosphere and texture, layering synths and unusual sounds to enhance the record’s dark tone.
“I’m not super trained in piano or synth, but we experimented with a lot of different sounds — choir chords, atmospheric textures, sometimes stuff that sounds almost like John Carpenter style synths.”
The growth of the American black metal scene is another topic close to Bakka’s heart. While death metal has long dominated extreme music in the United States, he believes a shift is beginning to occur.
“In the U.S., death metal has always been dominant. But now I’m starting to see younger people getting into black metal — people around eighteen to twenty years old. So I think there’s definitely a shift happening.”
For Necrofier, that shift is arriving at the perfect time. With Transcend Into Oblivion now released and their first European tour on the horizon, the band are stepping into a much larger stage.
And if there is one piece of advice Bakka offers listeners approaching the album, it is simple.
“The album works best as a full listening experience. Light a candle, turn the lights off, put on headphones, maybe burn some incense and just listen to the whole thing.”
Released February 27th on Metal Blade Records
Line-up: Bakka (vocals/guitar), Semir Özerkan (guitar), Mat Valentine (bass), Dobber Beverly (drums)
