Tag Archives: Richie H-R

Nightsatan – Nightsatan and the Loops Of Doom

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Nightsatan are one of what I can’t help but think of as the “token” bands – a band who sign to a primarily Metal label, are championed by Metal musicians (in this case, Reverend Bizarre’s Albert Witchfinder, who’s performed with them live) and receive rave reviews from Metal sites, but don’t actually play Metal. It’s easy to be cynical about why these bands target themselves at a Metal audience, and why they largely seem to lack acceptance amongst whatever scene they should be a part of, but some quality acts have taken this route in the past.

Nightsatan play evocative, moody synth-soundscapes most easily comparable to Goblin (and modern imitators Zombi), Vangelis or the soundtracks to eighties and nineties action movies. The soundtrack comparison is no coincidence – Nightsatan And The Loops Of Doom (Svart Records) is ostensibly the soundtrack to a short movie of the same name (though the album is longer than the film) which, if the trailer is to be believed, consists of the three fantastically-costumed band members walking across a desert getting into poorly-choreographed fights. The music mirrors this with sinuous pulses, echoing beats and a kind of vintage-sinister atmosphere.

The main strengths and weaknesses of the album are the same that affect most soundtracks. This is music that’s been designed to support visual images – removed from those images you have music that can be evocative or boring depending on the listener’s mood. My own biggest issue with the music here was the lack of hooks or audible drama – atmosphere is built, but within any clear outcome it is often left simply to fall into the background and be ignored.

Being a clear homage to a particular style of music, aimed primarily at an audience that perhaps doesn’t possess the full critical context to judge it fairly, it’s easy to see …Loops Of Doom as something of a gimmick album. Certainly I have my doubts how long the appeal will remain after the novelty has faded. It is, however, a well-executed and engaging gimmick that yields up some pleasing pieces of music, at least for a while.

 

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6/10

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RICHIE H-R


Ghost Cult Top Five – Richie H-R

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Every month Ghost Cult polls our awesome staff of writers worldwide to see what they are listening to at the moment. Sometimes it’s the latest underground album, and sometimes it’s an old favorite. Sometimes the music isn’t even metal, and that’s okay too. You can always find the Top Five list in our digital magazine, up front near the table of contents. This month mysteriously initialed scribe Richie H-R shares with us what he is listening to right now.

 

Stargazer – A Great Work Of Ages

Something I managed to miss completely when it first came out, but have recently discovered due to Profound Lore’s Bandcamp page. A genuinely distinctive, adventurous mix of Progressive Black, Death and traditional Heavy Metal which references a number of classic bands while always managing to sound like itself. A real undiscovered gem.

 

Castle – Under Siege

A band I’d never heard of before picking the album up for review this month, but it’s hardly left my headphones since then. A powerful, emotionally resonant blend of Doom and Classic Heavy Metal (with maybe a touch of that “Occult Rock” thing that’s been getting stale recently, but with none of the negative associations), Castle pull of that difficult trick of sounding “mature” and serious without losing any of the things that make them so Metal. Genuine understated class.

The Monolith Deathcult – Tetragrammaton

If Psalm 69 era Ministry were a Death Metal band obsessed in equal parts with genocide, religious extremism and Transformers, they’d probably sound a fair bit like this. And be incredible. Like Castle, TMD also pull off a very rare trick – this time balancing genuine Metal power with an actual sense of humour and self-awareness without seeming “ironic” or flippant. Also guest vocals from Optimus Prime, which would make even a bad album worth hearing.

 

The Atlas Moth – The Old Believer

Unlike some of my other choices, this is an album I’ve come to already loving the band, and has required a bit of work to “get”. Not quite as instantly diverse or dramatic as their previous albums, The Old Believer (Profound Lore) shows a rounded, more integrated approach to composition which is less showy but leaves greater room for expansive, emotive song-writing. A slow builder, but one which I anticipate being worth the wait.

 

Morbus Chron – Sweven

Despite all the praise heaped on it, I didn’t really get on that well with Morbus Chron’s debut – it’s hard to see the appeal of straight-up Autopsy worship when the originals are still around and doing it better than anyone. Sweven, however, has won me over by imaging what Autopsy could have sounded like if they’d have taken a completely different route after Mental Funeral, ditching the distortion, dirtiness and violence they focused on with Acts for a more progressive, melodic, even psychedelic approach to horror. Vivid, powerful and genuinely distinctive, one of the real highlights of the year.

 

RICHIE H-R