Well it's clear from both the album cover and the promo pics that heavily blackened Spanish death thrashers Noctem know the power of a good image. All very cohesive and well executed with a rusted by blood feel to it. But we're here for the music soooo.....?
Cue the obligatory intro. Well, cynicism aside 'Popol Vuh' is a nice, ominous intro but as usual it suddenly stops and you're unceremoniously battered by the riff of ' The Arrival Of The False Gods'. The first thing that sticks about Noctem's sound are the drums. Frankly they sound like the producer ran amok in the trigger factory; the constant click and flutter in the background is irritating inside of ten seconds. Note: I am not saying they are over-triggered, but that is certainly the sound created by the production. Add in a pristine ' modern' shine to the rest (i.e. a mirror sharp clinical polish sanding down every bit of grit) and it is unfortunately easy for this to quickly slip away from you.
Which would be a shame because there is a good bit to recommend here.
For a start the band have a tightness and an intensity throughout that suggests they could decimate a gig venue. Spoon on top a feel when the blackened edges hit you head on that there are hints of a sinewy Melechesh seeping through; a searing North African/Middle Eastern touch to the riffs on 'Abnegation And Brutality' or 'Invictus' bringing the colour to the sound.
This is, throughout, a relentless assault. Heavy taloned hands battering and scraping at you. Melodic deaththrash that has a real heft to it. Some very nimble leadwork adds a demonic edge to tracks like 'Unredemption' and the sparse but effective use of keyboards keeps the variety in as does the consistently quality vocals which warp from death roar to black screech and all points in between.
But still that production gets to me.
Yes at times it is hard; the slick sound will have your mind wandering in minutes if you relax, despite the quality of many of the songs on offer, but stick with it because ' Oblivion' gets better as it goes on. 'Q'Uma'Rka'Aaj' is an unexpected slow burner of a song, a melodic baseline and eerie choral vocals over a sombre militaristic soundtrack that bursts into 'A Borning Serpent' twisting its way between some tempestuous and Emperor-esque riffing and the cyborg beat of some offspring of Fear Factory and is rather excellent.
Noctem close with the title track. It weaves some dark warnings over a mid-paced dark riff that rises and falls like a night tide and has a real haunting quality to the melody before it trails away into a downward keyboard spiral.
A good ending.
If you can take the drum sound and the clinical production, Oblivion is worth sticking with. There are some gems in here for fans of a more modern, pristine take on deaththrash. I simply find forcing my way through the production too hard for most of this I'm afraid.
Oh and there is a 'hidden' track if that still floats your boat ...
http://http://www.myspace.com/noctemofficial
http://www.noctemofficial.com
Gizmo
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