Nekropolis (band)

This article is not about the danish group Nekropolis (1975-1978)

Nekropolis is a postpunkband started in Oslo, Norway – March 1982 by the eksile greek Zlat (gtr, synth, vox, progr) and osloborn Math (vox, synth). The former came from rockband Medusa and new waveband Lumbago, while Math had his experience from punkbands like Squirms and postpunk duo LiK, in addition to several fanzine releases.

History

The duo was originally called The New Europeans, but changed the name to Nekropolis after a line in The Clash' track 'Ghetto Defendant', from Combat Rock, CBS 1982.

The summer and fall of '82 Nekropolis recorded what would be their debut album in Zlats own Weird Studios. Their sound was electronic and post modern, but inspiration from ethnic music shined through as well. Combined with lyrics that were pointing at political issues like the Turkey invasion on Cyprus to other social taboos as black Scandinavians and deformed people, Nekropolis' attitude stood out and it raised a lot of attention and praise from critics as the album was released in November 1982.

As a duo they made their live debut at the opening of the new location of the Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts, September 17 together with Holy Toy. But after half of dozens of gigs – or multimedia performances because of all the videos and lightning projected – to promote the release, Zlat moved back to Greece, where he released two more albums under his own name. Math started the old-Norse postpunkband Ym:Stammen and kept the concept going till 1999.

Inspired by Hommage Records' wish to re-release the debut album onto CD in 2009, Zlat and Math decided to reunite for a session at Lollipop Studios in Thessaloniki, Greece, July 2009. Throughout the summer and fall they succeeded to produce 14 new tracks, which was released on the CD album, The New Europeans, February 2010 on Likvidér Rec (distr: VME). The Moron (vox, ex-Betong Hysteria) appeared as their third member (and co-composer) in studio.

Still making electronic based postpunk, their new album - the New Europeans – draws attention to how it is living in Europe in 2010 between the metamodern, utraliberal individual on one side, and the pressure from new totalitarian and religious immigration on the other. On the New Europeans Nekropolis sings against mutilation of women, the destruction of orthodox churches, the unfair killing of 15 year old Alexis that raised riots in Athens, December 2008, totalitarian religions and the rights for non-believers and freedom of speech.

Titles expressing these issues are 'Culture Of One', 'How The West Was Lost', 'Do You Feel Discomfort In Civilization' and 'Burn The Kosovo Churches'. The latter focusing on the 150 Serbian churches burned by Kosovo Albanians after the peace agreement in 1999, but totally ignored by the western press. For this, the band have been accused for being war-triggers. Their two first booked gigs in Norway, March 20 and 26, 2010 at 3B/Dark City in Trondheim and Revolver in Oslo were both cancelled after arrangers having received anonymous threats.

As Nekropolis' two gigs in Oslo and Trondheim were cancelled by the arrangers due to threats from anonymous groups, the band responded by making a new track, 'Freedom of Speech', which was only available through their myspace-site. The track was also a support to Geert Wilders and his fight for the freedom of speech in Holland. Nekropolis finally got the Oslo gig at Elm Street in Oslo on May 15, but needed police protection to perform.

In front of 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the band released a rewritten version of 'Hard Times of Old England', as an unofficial anthem supporting England. The song was strictly released on myspace and youtube. In April 2011 Nekropolis did one exclusive gig at the Residents Club in Thessaloniki, and released footage from the show to illustrate their youtube track, 'Israel', a cover version of a Siouxsie & the Banshees song with the same title.

Discography

Albums

• Nekropolis, Lollipop Records LR 2, LP, November 1982
• December (live), Likvidér LIKV 4014, MC-46, August 1984
• The New Europeans, Likvidér LIKV 4032, CD, February 2010
• Nekropolis, re-released with 14 bonus tracks on Hommage Records HRCD004, CD, March 2010

Compilations

• 'Dialogos' on V/A: Zink Zamler , ZN01/Likvidér LIKV 4002, MC, September 1982
• 'Nor The Reflection' (bandname misspelled as Neuropolis) on V/A: None Night Of Flexipop Vol. 3, Flexi-Pop, Flexi-Pop 23, CDr bootleg, Germany, 2004

External links

• Nekropolis home page
• UltraPop News(Norwegian)
• Rockipedia(Norwegian)