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Nocturnal Fear - Metal Of Honor

Published November 28 2009


*
=Staff's pick

Cast From Heaven (Intro)
Nuclear Deathstrike*
Death Before Dishonor*
Soul Destroyer
The Victor And The Vanquished
Reign Of Terror (Instrumental)*
The Enigma Of Steel*
Soldiers Of Hell
Russian Roulette*
Triumph Of Steel


Genre Deathrash Metal
Devastator
Vocals
Tracks 10
Slavehunter
Guitar
Runningtime 54 Min.
-
Guitar
Label Moribund Records
Slavehunter
Bass
Release 03 November 2009
Aggressor
Drums
Country USA
-
Keyboard
Similar artists Angelcorpse, Sodom, Aggressor

The "Metal Of Honor" is a red badge of encouraged butchery, and brutality worn proudly by the soldiers from Hell known as Nocturnal Fear. These Detroit devastators have been slaving the streets with their heavy artillery for nigh a decade, ready to spill the blood of vengeance, as both the victor and vanquished.

This marks the fourth attempt to sterilize and exterminate all poseurs with their nuclear deathsrike. This all out forbidden evil, frontal assault is a strong and belligerent follow-up to 'Code Of Violence'.

Pist Chris Slavehunter and Aggressor are the only mainstay mercenaries, and they create the blood, sweat, and bullets which fire on all cylinders, belting the opposition, and raking like machinegun fire; splitting the skull open wide.

I imagine they get their nom de plume from their thrash icons Sodom (Tom Angelripper) and France's Aggressor, and the awesome Alex Colin-Tocquaine. Perhaps they are just staged names for effect; either way they fit in with the destruction that lies ahead, putting the listener in harms way.

"Cast From Heaven" begins with an excerpt from "Rambo", and sets the cold blooded vibe, which freezes over with the presence of pure persecution mania, and the fear of "Nuclear Winter". War is clearly in the blood of the revengers, and these inglorious bastards!

Devastator's vocals are very reminiscent of Tony Portaro (Whiplash), Mille (Kreator), Tom Angelripper, and those gruff neanderthals who bellow with a bellicose, blazing, bated breath of malefic intent. This may be why the long blasting "Death Before Dishonor" rebounds with a powerful and painful sting of Whiplash. Think "Warmonger" meets "Last Man Alive", given its mettle militia mindset.

"Nuclear Deathstrike" masters the spectrum of deathrash presented by both Morbid Saint and Morbid Angel, and any other doomsayers who create sepulchral visions of the apocalypse.

"Death Before Dishonor" is like a very hyperbolic Celtic Frost or Hellhammer hit, with some vicious "Angel Of Death" Slayer style drumming, and copycat killer guitar riffs, ripping right down my spine with bone chilling alacrity.

With the jungle fevered depredations of "Soldiers Of Hell", I would suggest that Nocturnal Fear drink from the "Chalice Of Blood", provided their Forbidden inclinations.

Certain bleeding cuts like "The Victor And The Vanquished" remind me of the early work of the underappreciated Angelcorpse. Often I hear an inexorable whisper of Pete Helmkamp's eerie echo permeating the darkness. This band also remind me of Italy's own Bulldozer - whose new album was a true 'Unexpected Fate' of comeback thrash magnificence.

"Soul Destroyer" yearns and caustically echoes the total deathlike tormented oration of classic Kreator. I am reminded of "Death Is Your Saviour" selfish indulgences, or the endless pain of "Bone Breaker", imitated and then improvised, with a blissful kiss of death, and this honored consent.

"Reign Of Terror" is an instrumental trilogy broken down into: I. A Call To Arms II. Riding Into War III. From Order to Chaos. This epic adventure honours Cimmerian pride and the legend of Conan. It leads into "The Enigma of Steel" a rippin' attendance to Robert E. Howard's legacy.

I just watched "Red Sonja" the other night. Arnold Schwarzenegger swears that this is one of the worst movies he ever made. I guess he forgot about "Hercules In New York", "The Villain", "Collateral Damage", and "End Of Days". He claims that he will punish his children when they misbehave by forcing them to watch this movie repeatedly.

I think it is decent for what it is, and I imagine Robert Rodriguez and Rose McGowan will create a remake which serves as a befitting tribute to the classic. I wonder who plans to remake "Sheena"? Tanya Roberts was so damn sexy and suggestive, thank god for the digital age and the pause / slow-motion / step function!

If you accept the punishing pace of "Russian Roulette", you will be prepared for the "Triumph Of Steel". This is no Manowar homage, but rather a bloody reign of terror; a sonic exciter which strikes right at the victims of sacrifice.

I am amazed at the length of this thrashblast. Usually bands of this caliber have albums half as long. Most of the acts on Moribund Records have a propensity for Black Metal idolization, and iconoclasm. The only label mate similar musically may be Satan's Host, but they are some damn irreverent and bizarre!

If you are fans of Heavy Artillery acts like: At War, Exmortis, Phantomwitch, etc, awaken to Nocturnal Fear. If, like myself, you are total old school and worship at the altar of early Sepultura, Incubus, Sarcófago, Venom, Sacrifice, etc. then honor and state your thrash drive, bite down on the bullet trained to kill, and proudly bear the 'Metal Of Honor'!

Performance
Originality
Production
Vocals
Songwriting

7

7

8

7

7

 
Summary



7 chalices of 10 - Michael the MettleAngel


Related links:

www.myspace.com/nocturnalfear