Nocturnal Breed: Napalm Nights

After LL Cool J's infamous charge of "don't call it a comeback," I never really know what to say when a band goes away and then returns. Whatever we want that label to be, Nocturnal breed is one of those things. And let's face it—they were silent for a really long time. Seven years is almost an eternity in the world of popular music no matter what the genre. With this album, the band shows that they can still produce plenty of thrash-centric anthems perfectly designed for a club full of young moshers. Better still, they bring in guests like Nocturno Culto to help with some of the vocals and A. E. Rattlehead to provide some guitar solos. The band also features members (past and present) of Dimmu Borgir, Satyricon, Aeternus, and Gehenna. Despite having all these people in tow, the band is mostly able to produce a straightforward thrash album not necessarily beholden to the personalities of individual players.

The best thing about this album is its energy and speed. I loved it when the guys pushed things as fast as they could, breaking the metronome and fuelling the pit. When they thrash, they strike gold. Check out "Thrashiac" or "Dragging the Priests." At times, however, the band turns to that beefy rock and roll sound, the kind one associates with big bikers and bigger amplifiers. There's nothing wrong with this sound, but it felt inconsistent with the rest of the album. Still, this is a strong new release, one that shows there's plenty of life left in this band. Can I call it a comeback?

Track Listing:
1. The Devil Swept the Ruins
2. Speedkrieg
3. Cursed Beyond Recognition
4. The Bitch of Buchenwald
5. Napalm Nights
6. Thrashiac
7. Dawn Campaign . . . Flamethrower Ridge
8. Under the Whip
9. Dragging the Priests
10. Krigshisser (D.N.K)

Added: May 22nd 2014
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 2470
Language: english

[ Printer Friendly Page ]
[ Send to a Friend ]