Album Review: Green Lung – Necropolitan (Nuclear Blast Records)

The long-awaited fourth album from Green Lung, London’s lords of the riff, is finally upon us. ‘Necropolitan’ will be released on September 11th, 2026, by Nuclear Blast Records. A grand celebration of the occult lore and heavy music scene of the band’s birthplace, the city of London.

New Green Lung music is always a reason to get excited, but new Green Lung music that takes their macabre storytelling in an exciting direction and continues their impossibly hooky ways? Yes, bloody, please! Especially when it comes with just a whiff of cheese.

Though that’s not to suggest they’re not taking their music seriously, rather, they’re not taking themselves too seriously. That is how we end up with one of their strongest albums to date even if it’s not what anyone would call innovative. More like a natural successor to This Heathen Land.

I think it’s their most crowd-pleasing record to date, the kind of album that wins them even more fans, and has all those who have been on the ride to this point feeling quite smug. I’m not one of them, as I’ve not always understood the fuss about Green Lung, but I will tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed this album.

Open the Hellmouth is an intro that oozes atmosphere, layering the dark and horror vibes on thickly, ready for Dance to the Grave to unleash a cacophony of groovy and energetic riffs, sinister synth, and twisted melody. It’s a cool track, but the lively celebration of the sixties proto-goth subculture in London is awesome. While the occult-focused riff-driven Necropolitan Line moves at such a pace, it’s like a runaway train that just so happens to be filled with the dead. The cherry on top of this track, which really borrows from the likes of Deep Purple, is the soloing.

It, alongside Evil in this House, has already been well and truly embraced by all those who love Green Lung, and then some. This track might be the best example of how Green Lung have really embraced a ‘sillier’ side to what they do, delivering a smile-inducing showcase of groovy stoner metal. Albeit, as is the case across the album, twisted and transformed, with the synth solo being one hell of a highlight.

I’m not quite as sold on the balladry of Together in Death though. The touch of psychedelia is appealing, and I don’t mind the overall gothic tone, but it never managed to thrill. Whereas I think Ozymandias might be the album’s most creative effort. Not only getting weird with some of the arrangements, but nodding to Maiden here and there, and really letting the riffs do the heavy lifting, up until a thrilling jazz-style bout of soloing creates a breathlessness that is hard to recover from.

Things then get even more fantastical with Alostrael (Be My Babalon), which features the vocal talents of Castle Rat’s Riley Pinkerton. Unsurprisingly, not only is this track an out and out head banger, but it’s also one with strong storytelling chops. Infectiously interesting.

Capping off, what I think will be Green Lung’s most successful album to date, is To the Gallows Burn and it is massive sounding. A cheeky Green Lung epic with heart and soul, drawing inspiration from the stories of the Tyburn gallows. Something that will satisfy those who enjoy the horror of London times gone. by. It is an appealing aspect of the record, but far from the only thing of note.

Green Lung embrace the macabre in their inimitable style and the result is something quite entrancing and eccentric.

Green Lung – Necropolitan Track Listing:

1. Open the Hellmouth
2. Dance to the Grave
3. Black Magick Radio
4. Necropolitan Line
5. Evil in this House
6. Together in Death
7. Ozymandias
8. Alostrael (Be My Babalon)
9. To the Gallows Born

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