A cinematic and fully developed listening experience.

After over a decade of releasing music, Worm re-emerges within the extreme metal landscape with their new full-length album, Necropalace. Since emerging from Florida’s black metal underground in 2012, the project has transitioned into a purveyor of symphonic blackened doom. While their roots remain firmly planted in the humid, swampy depths of the Florida death metal tradition, they have successfully transcended those boundaries to embrace a more expansive, global sound. Their sound blends ghostly, melodic funeral decay with trademark cavernous vocals, creating a sinister yet majestic aura across the album.

Regarding the collective’s composition, Worm is a collaborative entity steered by Phantom Slaughter, who orchestrates the complex arrangements for Necropalace. While providing the band’s distinctive, shapeshifting vocals, he serves as the primary architect of the project’s vision. He is joined by Wroth Septentrion, whose intricate leads and songwriting provide melodic depth, and L. Kevin on drums. Rooted in the legacies of dISEMBOWELMENT and early Katatonia, the band’s style results in a haunting, blackened doom sound that permeates every track.

Worm’s musical synergy is vividly captured in the title track, “Necropalace,” which is just over ten minutes long. Just past the one-minute mark, the song shifts into a brief acoustic passage before giving way to the infectious, driving rhythms that define the piece. The vocal performance further highlights a wide spectrum of versatility, shifting from harrowing screams to low, necrotic growls.

The album concludes with the somber, melodic tones of ”Witchmoon,” a title that perfectly reflects its nightbound atmosphere and shifting tempos. Of particular interest is the guest solo by former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman, who arrives past the midway point to provide a prolonged, virtuosic display of shredding. Moreover, the song’s structure is built on hook-heavy guitar lines that accentuate its conceptual focus on a macabre world of ghouls, vampires, and otherworldly horrors.

Through Necropalace, Worm expands their sound into a cinematic and fully developed experience. The combination of cavernous guitar tones, mournful melodies and orchestral synths creates a deeply evocative tapestry. Each element contributes to the album’s cohesive identity, reinforcing its dark and immersive nature—demonstrating that in the realm of the macabre, Worm reigns supreme over their own dark empire.