CD Review: Nothnegal - Decadence

Written by Petra Whiteley Tuesday, 24 January 2012 16:55

Artist: Nothnegal
Title: Decadence
Genre: Melodic Death Metal / Thrash / Progressive Metal
Release Date: 20th January 2012
Label: Season Of Mist

Album Review

NOTHNEGAL was founded by Hiralr (ex-THE MORTUARY) together with his cousin Fufu in 2006. Their first single, ‘Antidote To Realism’, was self-released. In 2009, the band has reshuffled their line-up and now they’re here with their first full-length ‘Decadence’. The band’s utilising some Progressive parts and even some Industrial undertones into the staple Melodic Death Metal brings in a sliver of an innovative spirit. From the first song ‘Salvation’ their strong point in imaginative keyboards bringing the extra layer and mood into the play comes through clearly, they make the songs varied in its own right of complementing the sound in an unpredictable but fitting way. The riffs are not overbearing but heavy nevertheless. Moreover, the heaviness is never set to fall too crushing or bleakly depressing due to the aforementioned keyboards.

Towards the second part of the album we will hear some cleaner vocal that bring a welcomed change from the growls. Not that you’d get sick of them, but contrast always picks up the spectrum. In fact the ‘Sins Of Our Creations’ is one of the better moments of ‘Decadence’, even though the lyrics could have been better - they just don’t unravel much new ground unlike the music which manages to stretch beyond the standard and formulaic. During this song and the following (and closing) Singularity the clean vocals are of a better quality than the growl vocal. These two songs also have a more of the Progressive and more classical Heavy Metal feel where it concerns the guitar work as well. The prominence of keyboards in the last notes of the album is suitable for the fact that they’ve been the album’s biggest strength. Great, solid and interesting debut from a band that has some good potential to unravel.


Tracklist

01. Salvation
02. Claymore
03. Janus
04. Decadence
05. Armageddon
06. R.A.D.A.R
07. Sins Of Our Creations
08. Singularity


Line-up

Fufu: vocals & guitar
Hilarl: guitar
Hamad: bass
Marco Sneck: keyboards
Kevin Talley: drums


Websites

www.nothnegal.net / www.myspace.com/nothnegal / www.facebook.com/nothnegal


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 8
Sound: 8
Total: 8 / 10