Artist: Nocturnal Rites
Label: Century Media
Release Date: 8/29/00
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Title: Afterlife Artist: Nocturnal Rites Label: Century Media Release Date: 8/29/00 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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Go to Reader Reviews | ||
Abyss's Review:
Not being the hugest power-metal fan in the world, I don't have a lot of knowledge of this band's earlier work, but from the way the bio describes it, it sounds like a Manowar-loin skin type of thing. If that's the case these guys have definitely changed their sound a bit, melding classic heavy metal to a more updated power metal sound with varying results. I don't really care what the bio says, this new album reminds me a great deal of Helloween, but in my book that's a pretty good thing.
"I find the good parts outnumbering the bad, enough to allow me to enjoy this stuff that I would usually consider flowery fluff." Afterlife hits with what, at first listen, sounds like your standard Blind Guardian metal (even the cover's artwork seems derivative of their last album), but not quite as complete. The sound itself seems a little below par, especially for a Century Media release, as the guitar seems quite thin at times and the bass is often undetectable. But despite these (in my opinion) shortcomings in production, this album began the unlikely task of winning me over.
While I wouldn't compare these guys to gods like Iced Earth, there is a whole lot of cool shit going on in these songs. The vocals, by Jonny Lindkvist, while by no means mind blowing, have enough heart and melody to make up for the melodramatic flair that can do this sort of music in if done incorrectly. Mr. Lindkvist does a good job of using his lower registers, and when he does hit the high notes it is often harmonized, making it thicker and resulting in more integrity for the song as a whole.
While the vocals were a pleasant surprise for me, it's the two guitarists (Fredrik Mannberg and Nils Norberg) that make this band. The riffs are adventurous and catchy, and if they were thickened up a bit I think they would put this band on a whole new level. Even for a death/black/grind head like me, these guitars come across as aggressive (most of the time anyway). My early favorites are "Hell and Back" and "The Devil's Child", and while there are parts that irritate me, I find the good parts outnumbering the bad, enough to allow me to enjoy this stuff that I would usually consider flowery fluff.
"Basically it's an album I dig, but I can't really defend it that well." I can't go as far as recommending this album to all metal heads, because there is a lot of similar-sounding stuff out there that I detest, but this one just hit me. And while I think the die-hard power metal fan will really dig this, I must admit that it is easy to pick out flaws in this album. Basically it's an album I dig, but I can't really defend it that well. Oh well… Metal on!
Death's Review:
If the artificial intelligence engine behind those on-line retailer "recommendations" or "others who like this band also like" suggestions/marketing actually worked, someone inquiring about Nocturnal Rites might be pointed to Iced Earth, Annihilator, Blind Guardian, Black Sabbath's Seventh Star, Riot, Yes, Blue Oyster Cult, Dio, Hammerfall, Jag Panzer, Dream Theater, Stratovarius, Wrathchild Amercia, Manowar, old Genesis, Metal Church, Rainbow, old-Whitesnake, Yngwie Malmsteen's Marching Out record, In Flames, Helloween, and Nevermore. Anyway, comparisons to small elements of each of those bands/albums can be heard on Afterlife, but never is Nocturnal Rites the equal of its influences/contemporaries mentioned above. Fans should stop and ask themselves the following important metal philosophy question: are you a fan of decent-to-merely-excellent bands who currently mine the historically well-tread territory above? Do you let into your good graces a new platter which may be nothing more than an amalgamation of styles which may have been played out ten years ago? If you do, you're bound to appreciate the opportunity to welcome a new platter of metallic delight into the family. If not, you aren't gonna like this disc.
For the uninitiated, Nocturnal Rites play well-executed, somewhat technical, song-based thrash/power metal. They are fronted by Jonny Lindkvist, a singer who sounds like he comes from the Graham Bonnet/Glenn Hughes/Ian Gillan school of metal. The songs have a subtle undercurrent of eighties AOR rock commerciality in the structure and production. They are meant to be catchy, yet often times fall flat. Unfortunately, the band's safe, Judas Priest Painkiller -level of heaviness, "thrashing" gets in the way of the "hooks" and progression and makes this album musically feel just plain bland at times. Curious what Abyss thinks of this (I generally try not to read the other Committee members' reviews until after I've written my own). Hope he's in a good mood when he writes. Otherwise, it could get ugly.
"If you're interested in this stuff, you know what you're getting into when you put it in the player anyway. I'm sure you'll dig it." But there is a decent amount of quality here as well. When Nocturnal Rites allow themselves to stay with a unique voice, like on the awesome "The Sign," it all comes together and they sound like an independent force. The tune features an In Flames/Shadows Fall -type downtuned melodical aspect to an otherwise incredibly heavy Fredrik Mannberg riff, and a real Zakk Wylde catchiness to the feel of the bouncy/choppy main riff. Moreover, Lindkvist's voice has the room it's begging for on the other tracks here. This song stands out. I also like "Sacrifice." Moments of "Temple of the Dead" (including its emotional vocal peak) are interesting, and the middle-eastern flavored opening stomps of "Hellenium" are pretty cool pre-vocals.
I can't speak to the new vocalist as opposed to the old, as Afterlife is admittedly my first exposure to this band. But I'll tell you this much: the Riot/Rainbow element which is brought to the table is his. All in all, Nocturnal Rites is a good band, keeping metal alive and making quality music. I'm not gonna spend much time overall with this one, but if you're interested in this stuff, you know what you're getting into when you put it in the player anyway. I'm sure you'll dig it.
Hel's Review:
In my quick notes, which I often jot during my last listen prior to handing the album off to Death or Abyss, the first thing I wrote under the title for this one was: "good musicianship, yada, yada, yada..." Translation: while there is nothing wrong with the music, or how the musicians perform, I'm just not feeling it.
"While there is nothing wrong with the music, or how the musicians perform, I'm just not feeling it." Throughout, I often had nagging feeling of familiarity. I never did place it, but I know that Death will give you the full details of who they sound like, so that lets me off the hook. The best description I came up with was another of those little notes: "anthem-y feeling, with 80s overtones".
So they play well, it sounds like other bands I think are good, why am I down on it? For some reason, with me and power metal, it's sort of like all or nothing. As much flack as some people may give me for giving out "lots of 5's", I went back and looked at what I've given other power metal bands and there are very few 5's overall. When I love a power metal band, I admit, I love them to death and everything they do. But if the band fails to strike that certain chord that sets off rabid obsession, I just don't love them. That's really what went wrong here.
Clearly, I have no history with Nocturnal Rites, and this is the first album I have listened to. So if you are a longtime fan, I hope you will discount my opinion and buy it anyway. If you adore power metal as a general rule, you should definitely check this out. Those who abhor power metal - why the hell are you even still reading? Not, for my witty repartee, I'm sure.
"Anthem-y feeling, with 80s overtones."
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