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Official reissue—35 years after it was originally recorded—of what was meant to be Necrophagia’s debut album, but was censored and shelved at the time. First circulated as a vinyl bootleg in 1990 and later included on a compilation CD in 2000, Ready for Death is finally unleashed in its intended form. This authorized edition features the original cover artwork (with an alternate version included inside), the full original tracklist, and a wealth of bonus material: liner notes, lyrics, rare photos, and period-specific artwork. A vital document from one of the most mythic U.S. death metal bands, Ready for Death showcases Necrophagia’s uniquely twisted fusion of horror-drenched Death, Thrash, and early Black Metal, delivered with an unmistakably raw and old-school sound.
Necrophagia’s Ready for Death is a lost gem finally unearthed—a feral, blood-soaked time capsule from a band that helped define the grotesque spirit of death metal. Shelved for years before seeing an official release, this record captures the raw, unfiltered essence of a band fully in their element. Clocking in at just under 40 minutes, Ready for Death is a furious and inventive slab of horror-drenched metal that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the genre’s early titans.
Unlike the more polished death metal records that would follow later in the decade, this album thrives on atmosphere and primal energy. The riffs are thick, the tone is muddy in just the right way, and Killjoy’s unmistakable vocals tear through each track like a rabid beast. There’s a morbid charm in how unrefined and unpredictable these songs are—the structures zigzag without warning, moving from lurching doom passages to frenzied thrash bursts with an almost theatrical flair. It’s as if the band is scoring a grindhouse horror film, using riffs and roars instead of celluloid.
Tracks like “Lust of the Naked Dead” and “Ancient Slumber” showcase a band unafraid to explore mood and texture, while still delivering the violence fans crave. The guitar solos are manic and expressive, not concerned with technical perfection but instead with delivering something that cuts deep. There's a sinister kind of groove in these songs that makes them more memorable than many of their more clinical contemporaries.
What sets Ready for Death apart isn’t just its historical value—it’s the vitality that pulses through every track. Whether it's the thrash-inflected drive of “Mental Decay” or the eerie, crawling menace of “Black Apparition,” Necrophagia always sounds genuinely possessed by their art. The band’s passion for horror, death, and all things blasphemous is palpable, but it’s paired with a compositional boldness that still feels refreshing today.
In the end, Ready for Death isn’t just a curio for collectors or a posthumous novelty—it’s a powerful document of a band pushing the boundaries of early death metal with ambition and attitude. Ghoulish, grimy, and full of charisma, this long-buried album finally gets the recognition it deserves. For fans of horror metal and old-school extremity, it’s not just a must-hear—it’s a must-have.
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