Nuclear Blast
Green Lung have always understood the theatrical side of heavy metal. Their music combines Sabbathesque riffs with occult imagery, British folklore and a strong sense of atmosphere. On Necropolitan, their fourth album, the London band takes those familiar ingredients into a darker, more urban world. The result is a confident record that expands their sound without abandoning the identity they have built.
Where Woodland Rites focused heavily on pagan landscapes and rural folklore, Necropolitan moves towards the city. Graveyards, pirate radio, the London Underground and modern technological anxieties become part of Green Lung’s strange mythology. It is an ambitious concept, but the band commit to it completely, making the album feel like a soundtrack to a supernatural version of London.
Musically, Green Lung remain firmly rooted in traditional heavy metal and hard rock. Scott Black’s guitars provide the album’s foundation, delivering powerful riffs and melodic leads, while J. G. Wright’s keyboards add gothic colour and psychedelic atmosphere. The rhythm section keeps the songs heavy and direct, preventing the elaborate concepts from overwhelming the music. The production is polished but still allows the band’s character to come through.
The songwriting is particularly strong. Green Lung have a gift for combining memorable riffs with huge choruses, and several songs feel designed for a live audience. “Dance To The Grave” mixes contemporary concerns with the band’s supernatural aesthetic. “Necropolitan Line” is perhaps the most entertaining example of their approach, transforming London’s Underground into a subterranean nightmare while maintaining an immediately catchy structure. Vocalist Tom Templar sings with the authority of a classic heavy-metal frontman, especially on “Evil In This House”, but also has the qualities of a storyteller.
Green Lung continue their fascination with literature and occult history. “Ozymandias” draws on Percy Bysshe Shelley, demonstrating how seriously they take the mythology behind their music. None of this will feel particularly unfamiliar to longtime listeners. The vintage-metal riffs, psychedelic keyboards, occult themes and dramatic choruses are all established Green Lung trademarks. Necropolitan is therefore more of an evolution than a reinvention. Still, that is hardly a problem when the formula works this well. Green Lung sound confident, focused and completely comfortable in their own strange world. Necropolitan is heavy without becoming oppressive, theatrical without becoming silly, and melodic without losing its edge. It feels less like an attempt to resurrect the past than a conversation with it. Green Lung take the ghosts of classic heavy metal, give them new clothes and send them wandering through modern London.
4.5/6 | Anne-Marie Forker
Release date: 11 September 2026
NEXT IN NORWAY? Tundra and Lightning festival – USF Verftet, Bergen, 3 October 2026
We have an interview with guitarist Scott Black coming in the next issue!