Worm – Necropalace
CD version reviewed by Wayne McAloon – 8th March 2026
Necropalace; the fourth full-length album from Florida Extreme Metal project Worm sees the band moving into their most theatrical and extravagant territory yet. There’s been quite the buzz online around this release since it dropped last month with almost all of it being very positive.
The album marks a decisive shift for the band; away from the swampy Death/Doom that defined their earlier releases and towards a more flamboyant blend of Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic melodrama, and virtuosic guitar histrionics. The result is an album that is both immersive and excessive; like an ornate Gothic “castle of sound” that occasionally risks collapsing under its own ambition!
From the opening moments, Necropalace establishes a real cinematic mood with ominous keyboards and dramatic riffs evoking the grandeur and atmosphere of classic ’90s Symphonic Extreme Metal, in both the music and the artwork/imagery; think Dimmu Borgir and most notably early era Cradle of Filth. Worm has never sounded this melodic; the keyboards provide a haunting backdrop that seems to somehow amplify the album’s vampiric atmosphere while the guitars frequently spiral up into soaring leads, with Marty Friedman (best known for his work with Megadeth) even making a guest appearance on the closing epic Witchmoon: The Infernal Masquerade, adding a burst of neo-classical shred to an already indulgent finale.
Songwriting leans heavily toward the epic. With just seven tracks stretching across roughly an hour, most songs are over 10 minutes long and unfold in multiple movements. Tracks like “Dragon Dreams” and “The Night Has Fangs” drift between atmospheric passages, galloping black-metal riffs, and bursts of melodic soloing, creating a sense of gothic storytelling more akin to a Classical Sonata than a straightforward 4 minute aggressive Metal track. This approach gives the album a real sense of “setting the scene” as each track almost feels like a chapter of a dark fantasy novel, filled with haunted castles, vampires and occult grandeur. The album thrives on this theatricality; with the interplay between keyboards and guitars creating lush, almost cinematic soundscapes, and Worm clearly revels in this exaggerated atmosphere of Symphonic Black/Gothic Metal.
Production also highlights this aesthetic: keys swell behind tremolo-picked riffs, choirs appear like spectres and the guitars frequently erupt into flamboyant solos that border on Power Metal exuberance. The same ambition that makes this album so captivating can however, also make it feel a little flabby and overextended in parts. Some riffs repeat longer than really necessary and the songs can at times feel more concerned with “maintaining the atmosphere” than delivering memorable climaxes and concise musical statements. Also, to this grizzled old Metalhead’s ears, this album might wallow just a tad too much in nostalgia. To a new listener, unfamiliar with those classic 90s bands and albums, this could easily seem new, fresh and even groundbreaking, but to me it made me want to go back and pull those old classics from the shelf and reminisce; that said that’s not a bad thing!
Despite this, the album represents a truly bold evolution for Worm. By really leaning into the Symphonic/Melodic style, the band has certainly expanded beyond its Death/Doom roots and has really ventured into grander, and some would say, more mainstream territory. The album may not always balance spectacle with structure, but its commitment to gothic drama and immersive atmosphere makes it a truly compelling listen.
For fans of 90s Extreme/Gothic Metal this album is a must. For me, Necropalace feels like a transitional statement from a band discovering just how far they can push these theatrical and atmospheric limits. For listeners who appreciate atmospheric, extravagant Extreme Metal steeped in Gothic Horror imagery Worm’s latest offering is a decadent and memorable journey into the darkness.
Rating: 8/10 – Great
Label: Century Media
Released: 13th February 2026
Wayne McAloon | Now Spinning Magazine
