contradiction Wrote:
Dalen Wrote:
Nachtmystium - Instinct Decay
whats this? looks awesome.
Nachtmystium are a really haunting US Black Metal band. I know you're into wolves in the thrones room...so I think this would be right up your alley dude. here's a review...
After the release of Demise and Eulogy IV,
Nachtmystium has seen a dearth of detractors come out of the woodwork, questioning the direction of the band's sound. This album, Instinct: Decay, takes what was done on Demise and further expands on it, in the process becoming one of the better releases this year, and making Nachtmystium a rising power in the USBM scene.
After a quick noisy intro, A Seed For Suffering comes out and at first starts at a mid-tempo pace that Nachtmystium is known for, but then suddenly surges forward and attacks with viciousness. Right away you can tell the production is a bit cleaner on this album than in previous efforts, the guitars are a little bit more distinguishable, with the riffs being audible and the distortions sounding clean. The drums are powerful, yet are a little drowned in the mix, giving the sound of the drums a more monotone feel. But the biggest addition to this band's sound has to be the lead guitar played by Azentrius. The lead guitar is given some delay and reverb, just like the rest of the guitars in the album, and it has a haunting feel to them. It really fits with the music, and my hat goes off for Azentrius for doing a great job writing these into the music.
The album's tempo shifts from song to song. Some songs are reminiscent of older, more mid-tempo material, like Chosen By No One, which has a great chuggy-type riff section and then breaks down into a slower tempo and continues back and forth, while other songs are more experimental, like A Seed For Suffering and it's lead parts toward the end of the song, or the strange synth/noise sounds on Keep Them Open. It's a nice variation and it keeps the album interesting through and through.
Azentrius' vocal work is top notch on this album, possibly his best vocal work for Nachtmystium to date, very passionate yet fierce, and compliments the style of black metal the band plays. The only downfall I truly see in this album is the bass work, and how it's pretty buried by the sounds of the other instruments. The bass does manage to shine on the intro for Chosen By No One, with a great opening bassline accompanied by the drums.
If you are a fan of USBM, or black metal in general, and are looking for an album that bends the rules of the genre but firmly delivers the goods expected of a BM band, then check this album out. It may take a little to grow on you, but give it a few spins, and enjoy, because I truly feel this is the beginning of Nachtmystium's rise to the top of the USBM mountain.
