This release is absolutely massive and crushing. From the very beginning reverb of the short introductory track "Dimming Lights Illuminate" leading into the barrage of pummeling drums and riffs of "Abnegation" it is clear that this is going to be a full throttle, intense attack on the eardrums. But beyond all of that, there is the unrelenting claustrophobic atmosphere. As I said, the album's title fits the band's sound quite well. There is no escape from the oppressive atmosphere on this release.
There are some moments of light that shine through at times, but are quickly fleeting. There is a very brief melodic interlude in the title track. There is also a brief passage in the same track where the only sound is the reverb. That carries on a little longer than it should, but the band dials back up the brutality soon afterwards. These brief moments are a chance for some air before the band has its proverbial foot on the listener's throat.
I want to talk very briefly about the band's genre listing on the Metal Archives before wrapping this up. I do not think this band qualifies as a black/death metal band. I hear very little black metal, other than the odd tremolo riff. I feel this is more of a brutal death metal band in the vein of Ulcerate or Altarage, where the band experiments with atmospheric elements and even some post metal elements in bringing new evolution to death metal. So if one is looking for a band like Behemoth, look elsewhere.
Noctambulist are challenging Ossuarium for Debut Album of the Year. This is an absolutely crushing release. The first listen I was not really sure about it because I thought it would be black/death, but once I came to appreciate what it was, it has really grown on me. It could be a contender for Album of the Year, not just Debut Album of the Year.
No comments:
Post a Comment