Nocturnal have been keeping busy in the underground for years now, punching out 5 EPs, 7 Splits, 3 Compilations, and 3 full-length albums since they formed back in 2000. They have yet to really break big, and they have still not produced a real standout album, despite doing their best to be the next Desaster.
Black/Thrash is a tricky genre, because you need attitude, speed, and most of all RIFFS. Nocturnal are good at all these things, but not really great at any of them. They play fast, but not too fast, and they never rip your face off. They have attitude in spades, but that alone can't sail your ship. You also have to have riffs, and Nocturnal's riffs are strictly okay, rather than great. The guitar tone on this disc is a bit disappointing, a little too smooth, without enough teeth. The mix favors the vocals too much, and overall the whole sound is by the numbers, and bit restrained. Nocturnal remain a solid band, but not a great one.
