That deranged lunatic Killjoy has done it again, and after countless lineup changes, he's managed to drag us back to the Season of the Dead era. With a lineup including Opal, Fug, Titta Tani, Mirai, Gorelord, W. Fabra, and even Philip Anselmo, it’s almost as if everyone but me has played in Necrophagia at this point. Brace yourselves for a hallucinatory, psychotic journey. If there’s one band that always takes horror metal to the most extreme, it’s Necrophagia. And while keyboards can be painfully cheesy in metal, Necrophagia is one of the rare groups that have masterfully injected eerie keyboards and church organ sections into extreme metal with class.
Season of the Dead was one of the first major zombie-infested records to come out of North America in the ‘80s, following in the footsteps of horror-obsessed bands like the Misfits with Jerry Only and Danzig. Then came Holocausto de la Morte, The Divine Art of Torture, Harvest Ritual Volume I, and our nightmares were suddenly full of Fulci- and Argento-style undead. The video for “Blood Freak” became a legend in extreme video history. Mirai Kawashima had a massive influence on Necrophagia’s eerie horror effects—but he’s no longer with the band. That’s why Deathtrip 69 feels like a more stripped-down album, and with its Manson-themed cover and lyrics, it’s ready to haunt your dreams.
Killjoy’s other projects like Wurdulak and Viking Crown were pretty bad, so I always hope he sticks with Necrophagia. Preferably far away from black metal. This album was originally expected in 2008, but for reasons unknown, it was delayed by three years—likely due to lineup instability. In the past year, Killjoy recruited Damien Matthews, Shawn Slusarek, and Boris Randall, bashing those murky, dragging Necrophagia riffs into their skulls while unleashing his trademark raspy, vomit-soaked vocals.
Most of the tracks start with horror intros. “A Funeral For Solange” stands out with its acoustic guitar and chilling effects, and “Death Valley 69,” which seems to be dedicated to Manson, is a bizarre piece filled with country vibes and chaotic weirdness. And yes, Charles Manson—whose record is, let’s say, not the cleanest—has been illustrated on the cover quite spectacularly.
The fast and aggressive “Kyra” takes a depressive turn and, if I’m not mistaken, is dedicated to Kyra Schon—the actress who played Karen Cooper in Night of the Living Dead. Guest vocals (both male and female) appear here as well. From what I’ve read, “Beast with Feral Claws” features guest vocals by Casey Chaos from Amen. Then there’s the track dedicated to The Howling, the cult werewolf flick from the ’70s. Complete with nauseating vocals and rabid structure, the hallucinatory keyboards bring this into proper Necrophagia territory. The piece dedicated to Mario Bava’s 1960 classic Black Sunday begins with piano, acoustic guitar, and samples from the film. It’s a standout thanks to church bells, choral vocals, and a ripping guitar solo—a groovy death metal track with an eerie ambiance.
And now we get to “Bleeding Eyes of the Eternally Damned,” inspired by Lucio Fulci’s horrifying masterpiece City of the Living Dead. Even though I haven’t watched the movie in two years, that scream at the start instantly refreshed my memory. The slimy Necrophagia riffs, the slow-crawling doom segments, the vomitous vocals—it’s all fantastic. At 2:40, when the actual City of the Living Dead theme kicks in, I instantly pictured that bearded guy and the main girl trapped in the coffin, and Father Thomas getting stabbed in that infamous scene. (Of course, since the film ends mysteriously, we can’t say for sure it was the ending.)
“Trick R’ Treat (The Last Halloween)” kicks off with skull-smashing death metal and slows down in the middle with haunting keys before picking back up with a groove-laden solo. The title track “Deathtrip 69” starts off fast and aggressive with chainsaw-like riffs—pure death metal—and eventually winds down into heavy cemetery doom, acoustic segments, and dialogue samples from films.
Alongside its old-school death metal backbone, you’ll even hear some hardcore punk riffs—which is not something you'd typically expect from Necrophagia. Aside from the two interlude/outro tracks, this entire album is a brutal exercise in sadism translated into sound. The arrangements are clearly well thought out. The relentless twin guitar attacks, the hallucination-inducing melodies, the layered riffs shifting between death metal, groove, punk, and hardcore—all perfectly combined with the nightmare-inducing samples Killjoy loves so much.
I’m not claiming this is a flawless album. It could have been stronger. But considering that Killjoy is the only remaining original member in a completely overhauled lineup, the band's core sound remains impressively intact. I saved the part about the guest spot from that psycho Slipknot guitarist for last. I’m just going to assume Killjoy had his reasons—and honestly, it’s too easy to throw shade, so I won’t.