As we all wait expectantly for Assassins Part II or whatever the next full length is likely to be, Nachtmystium throw out another of those E.P.s that they so seem to like. However if you were expecting a continuation of ideas on the last album and E.P. ‘Downfall,’ you are going to be in for a bit of a surprise. As the cover with its primitive old school skull on a stick suggests this is a case of going back to the bands roots. It’s an exercise in regression not progression and more about caveman like aggression than sonic melding together of plate tectonics with abstract droning and acoustic welding tools.
‘Bones’ batters in with a primeval grunt before blasting a tattoo out with clanking bell sounding as though it is calling out that the cannibal feast is ready to be consumed. Blake’s vokills are full of hate and gnarly here, akin to Cadaver at most necrotic and the whole number batters away at less than 3 minutes, getting the job done and leaving little in the way of breathing space. ‘Life Of Fire’ has a subtler mindset and despite the title reminding again of Neanderthals off on a quest for eternal light it has a certain progressive guitar texture allowing them to flow around and add a psychedelic tinge to proceedings and in the process marrying both elements of the group together. Gnarly and with more than a hint of blasphemy about it ‘Hellish Overdose’ has an old Motorhead meets Sodom feel to it as it rollocks away with death grunts and speed flowing through its veins. Vocals are shouted here and are quite accessible to decipher and as it talks about “ruining your city,” you can imagine a gang of greasy road rats blazing into town and smashing it up with bike chains and iron. Last number ‘Pitch Black Cadence’ a perfect title for this sort of gnarly feast is fast and furious and hits at a headlong dash before chilling with some icy underlying guitars sounding like they have escaped from a deranged rendition of The Shadows ‘Apache.’ This is a more slothful number but it broods away with a feeling of terror behind it before speeding up and sounding a bit like Canadian wargods Revenge.
Needless to say this is pretty damn good and someone is obviously buying these short and sweet releases to make it worthwhile putting them out. It leaves the question lingering on what they will do next, go forward, back or meet themselves in the middle? Your guess is as good as mine.
http://www.myspace.com/nachtmystium
