Nox Illunis - In Sideris Penumbra
Nox Illunis are a depressive black metal band, despite their tendency to sound more like raw kvlt black metal. When most think of depressive black, they consider bands like Xasthur or Borgne, bands with lots of atmospheric influence and keyboards. There are no keyboards when it comes to Nox but these Italians use plenty of atmosphere with their guitars through the distortion. Everything on their debut, 'In Sideris Penumbra,' is shrouded in a heavy mist while the only thing really permeating it are the drums. The vocals tend to be a bit on the higher pitch side, and therefore tend to blend in with the distortion. Some fans may find it appealing; others annoying.
Tracks like "Ira Sommersa" are more along the lines of typical black metal with just seamless riff after riff that almost tends to feel like a giant solo. It is very raw and powerful, but not the best example of Nox's style. The best can be seen in "Asylum Of Dead Memories," which is their most melodic and poetic offering on the album. It starts out slow and then builds up over time without staying in the same vein of chord hammering; it tends to switch between fast and slow which really adds depth to the track, and album, overall. "Darkness Of The Soul" is dark, atmospheric, and majorly evil and provides some of the best creative and depressive atomsphere that can be done with guitars (excluding what Xasthur could do, of course).
"Evoking The Stars" is possibly the only recognizable track compared to the all others. It features acoustic strums and warlike drums before going into the heavier chords. There are a lot more pauses between the chords as well which offers for moments of breath where the listener can really take in the music instead of being bombarded all the time with riff after riff. There even feels to be a bit of underlying melodic thrash buried in the riffs, but perhaps it is a figment of imagination. Overall fans of melodic black metal and black metal with interesting lyrics that are poetic, but not too sentimental, about depression and the wonders of the unknown should be very pleased by this.
Tracks like "Ira Sommersa" are more along the lines of typical black metal with just seamless riff after riff that almost tends to feel like a giant solo. It is very raw and powerful, but not the best example of Nox's style. The best can be seen in "Asylum Of Dead Memories," which is their most melodic and poetic offering on the album. It starts out slow and then builds up over time without staying in the same vein of chord hammering; it tends to switch between fast and slow which really adds depth to the track, and album, overall. "Darkness Of The Soul" is dark, atmospheric, and majorly evil and provides some of the best creative and depressive atomsphere that can be done with guitars (excluding what Xasthur could do, of course).
"Evoking The Stars" is possibly the only recognizable track compared to the all others. It features acoustic strums and warlike drums before going into the heavier chords. There are a lot more pauses between the chords as well which offers for moments of breath where the listener can really take in the music instead of being bombarded all the time with riff after riff. There even feels to be a bit of underlying melodic thrash buried in the riffs, but perhaps it is a figment of imagination. Overall fans of melodic black metal and black metal with interesting lyrics that are poetic, but not too sentimental, about depression and the wonders of the unknown should be very pleased by this.
- Echoes in the Abyss
- Ira Sommersa
- Asylum of Dead Memories
- The Last Rising Sun
- Darkness of the Soul
- The Death-Fires Danced At Night
- Evoking The Stars
Depressive Illusions Records
Reviewer: Colin McNamara
Jan 26, 2011
Jan 26, 2011
Next review:
Iskald - The Sun I Carried Alone
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