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Nachtmystium - Instinct: Decay review




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Reviewer:
8.4

50 users:
7.9
Band: Nachtmystium
Album: Instinct: Decay
Release date: May 2006


01. Instinct
02. A Seed For Suffering
03. Keep Them Open
04. Chosen By No One
05. Circumvention
06. Eternal Ground
07. The Antichrist Messiah
08. Here's To Hoping
09. Abstract Nihilism
10. Decay

Before I start with anything here, I have to say I'd be very grateful if someone could enlighten me as to how exactly do I pronounce this band's name. I mean, Nachtmystium? Couldn't they just go with The Evil Boys from Illinois (catchy, eh?) or something? Still, I suppose it's a ton easier to remember than, say, Aasdgoihasdghexekul . Anyway, enough of these shenanigans. These guys may be familiar to you for some of their more recent releases, where they largely incorporate many non-metal elements into our beloved genre of black metal, sometimes even up to the point where it no longer sounds like the style they originated in. However, this does not happen on Instinct: Decay.

Let's face it, folks: the raw Black Metal we all know and love can't possibly continue to exist forever in its original state. Specially not now, in the age of internet and copycat bedroom warriors that think recording their first guitar lesson while screaming their throats off about Father Satan, catholic priest rapists, losing their virginity to a goat and other gibberish while labeling it "black methul!1" is a great idea. So, why not sprinkle the genre with some fresh new ideas, and offer us something we haven't heard before? Nachtmystium started to do just that on this album.

While their later releases would eventually become less and less black, their frostbitten origins are still quite dominant on Instinct:Decay. Add a sparkle of psychedelia to a thick layer of dirty, grinding black metal and you've got this album summed up in a nutshell. Indeed, everything that would make your grandma run off to the nearest church to get you an exorcist if she knew you listened to it is present here. Uncountably high number of drum beats? Check. Guitars that sound like a swarm of buzzing insects gnawing your brain? Check. Maniacal "hooker-with-throat-cancer" shrieking? Check. Low-fi production? Check. However, Nachtmystium also cross into psychedelia territory frequently, either with eerie sounding computer-generated samples or a guitar melody that hovers above the noisy black metal onslaught and sounds like something you might expect from a psychedelic rock band. This not only sets this album apart from the sea of endless copycats, but also gives it a more personal, vilely demented sound.

A typical song from Instinct:Decay starts by raping your ears (in a good way) with a dirty, chilling tune, swirling you in a vortex of chaos until your ear drums bleed. And just when you think that it's over, the melodic guitar section starts showing its ugly head, creating melodies intended to plunge you even deeper into the vilest, twisted and demented corners of your mind. Perhaps this album does not achieve the desired effect on such a high level as some others in the similar veil, but it most certainly does a pretty good job. Some moments on it could, with no further debate, be called soul-chilling, mind crushing brilliance.

Perhaps the greatest strength on this album is that it has the potential to appeal both to those who like their black metal raw, filthy and uncompromising as well as those who are looking for a gust of fresh air in this somewhat stale genre. With that in mind, whatcha waitin' for? Go check it out!


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 8
Production: 8

Written by Slayer666 | 19.07.2011




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.


Comments

Comments: 7   Visited by: 72 users
21.07.2011 - 02:17
Rating: 8
BitterCOld
The Ancient One
Nakt-mist-ee-um.

this is my favorite album of theirs... enough weirdness to deviate from boring color-by-number bm, but still abrasive and not as slick as their last couple.
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get the fuck off my lawn.

Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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21.07.2011 - 12:14
Rating: 8
Slayer666

Written by BitterCOld on 21.07.2011 at 02:17

Nakt-mist-ee-um.

Much obliged.

Quote:

this is my favorite album of theirs... enough weirdness to deviate from boring color-by-number bm, but still abrasive and not as slick as their last couple.

Yup, this sums up the review.
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21.07.2011 - 20:15
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
I'm impressed you've even heard of Aasdgoihasdghexekul, damn their demo kicks ass.

But yeah Nachtmystium for me are a one hit wonder band, this being one hell of an almighty hit of superb psych-black metal. They should have just stopped after releasing this.
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21.07.2011 - 20:38
Rating: 7
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Written by Guest on 21.07.2011 at 20:15

I'm impressed you've even heard of Aasdgoihasdghexekul, damn their demo kicks ass.

But yeah Nachtmystium for me are a one hit wonder band, this being one hell of an almighty hit of superb psych-black metal. They should have just stopped after releasing this.


I enjoy dancing with the tune of Burzum/techno (Old Funeral) blasting out of my speakers so nah... I like what they are doing recently as well
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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22.07.2011 - 10:24
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by X-Ray Rod on 21.07.2011 at 20:38

I enjoy dancing with the tune of Burzum/techno (Old Funeral) blasting out of my speakers so nah... I like what they are doing recently as well

New Nacht is just one of those kinds of music that makes my brain flatline, no matter how much I try with it. It's like listening to fluff and dust. Just doesn't work for me.
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22.07.2011 - 13:53
Rating: 7
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Written by Guest on 22.07.2011 at 10:24

New Nacht is just one of those kinds of music that makes my brain flatline, no matter how much I try with it. It's like listening to fluff and dust. Just doesn't work for me.


I like fluff, well.... I'm biased, I got fluff on my head
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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27.11.2012 - 08:52
Oriax

LOL that was a good review!!
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