Nachtmystium Instinct: Decay
Battle Kommand Records/Southern Lord Records bkr009/sunn56.5 May 30th, 2006
By Jason Jordan
While arguably not as solid as fellow USBM acts Leviathan, Thralldom, and Wolves in the Throne Room, Nachtmystium are just as prolific. Having raised a small army of demos, EPs, and LPs, the Azentrius-fronted troupe are fairly consistent in the quality department, yet are underrated despite the horde of material up for grabs. Luckily they continue to improve with each release, and Instinct: Decay is the cannon that will blast this troubled group of musicians to the heights that even their most esteemed peers have reached. Well, almost.
Foreboding seems to be Azentriuss, uh, last name because like much of the Nachtmystium discography, Instinct: Decay is frightening. As threatening and menacing as a hive full of pissed-off hornets, Instinct, writhing in hopelessness, paints a bleak picture one that hints at the pitch-black darkness to come. And indeed, the familiar chugging of A Seed for Suffering is no stranger to these ears, with several USBM hallmarks out in full force. Azentriuss agonized screaming is not as upfront as Id like it to be, though the intensity cannot be denied. Perhaps feeling adventurous, the group decided to include an acoustic guitar lull between the heavy slabs of black metal of A Seed for Suffering. It has plenty of that alarming guitar sound that penetrates this style, and the last few minutes are an example of repetition done right, which will surely have this kind of effect on most people:
.
Unfortunately, A Seed for Suffering doesnt encapsulate the entirety of Instinct: Decay, nor Nachtmystium for that matter. Whereas the aforementioned song is basically a successful experiment, Keep Them Open although littered with alarms and outright dissonance is not as impressive. The abrasion, however, can be felt even at arms length. Along the same lines as The Cult is Alive-era Darkthrone, the bass line of Chosen by No One evidences a band willing to step outside tradition without shunning it. Essentially, besides being impervious to severe criticism, Circumvention, Eternal Ground, and Antichrist Messiah dont offer much. Nevertheless, the harsh tones and confident instrumentation serve as the saving grace for three songs I could easily do without. Instead, they become part of a 43-minute black metal record that houses nary a stinker every track possesses enough redeeming traits to warrant a full listen. Yet there are uncontested winners.
Heres to Hoping has rhythms and leads worth the price of admission alone, and the repeating phrases arent monotonous, which is often a major victory considering the alternative outcome. Look no further than Abstract Nihilism for a harrowing piece of USBM, whereas Decay nearly illustrates the aftermath of a great battle in which both sides lost and were engulfed by flames at the end.
On the whole, Instinct: Decay is not the best black metal album ever created, nor is it the pinnacle of the output of the USBM faction. It is, however, Nachtmystiums crowning achievement, and what this dark crew needed in order to be seen as the epitome of a consistent, USBM outfit that has existed for a while and doesnt plan on going extinct anytime soon. Theyve still got some ground to cover and countrymen to kill if they want to be considered the top-notch purveyors of their scene, but their body of work mostly speaks for itself. Or screams, I guess.
8/10
UMs Review Rating Scale
Official Battle Kommand Records Website
Official Southern Lord Records Website
Battle Kommand Records/Southern Lord Records bkr009/sunn56.5 May 30th, 2006
By Jason Jordan
While arguably not as solid as fellow USBM acts Leviathan, Thralldom, and Wolves in the Throne Room, Nachtmystium are just as prolific. Having raised a small army of demos, EPs, and LPs, the Azentrius-fronted troupe are fairly consistent in the quality department, yet are underrated despite the horde of material up for grabs. Luckily they continue to improve with each release, and Instinct: Decay is the cannon that will blast this troubled group of musicians to the heights that even their most esteemed peers have reached. Well, almost.
Foreboding seems to be Azentriuss, uh, last name because like much of the Nachtmystium discography, Instinct: Decay is frightening. As threatening and menacing as a hive full of pissed-off hornets, Instinct, writhing in hopelessness, paints a bleak picture one that hints at the pitch-black darkness to come. And indeed, the familiar chugging of A Seed for Suffering is no stranger to these ears, with several USBM hallmarks out in full force. Azentriuss agonized screaming is not as upfront as Id like it to be, though the intensity cannot be denied. Perhaps feeling adventurous, the group decided to include an acoustic guitar lull between the heavy slabs of black metal of A Seed for Suffering. It has plenty of that alarming guitar sound that penetrates this style, and the last few minutes are an example of repetition done right, which will surely have this kind of effect on most people:
. Unfortunately, A Seed for Suffering doesnt encapsulate the entirety of Instinct: Decay, nor Nachtmystium for that matter. Whereas the aforementioned song is basically a successful experiment, Keep Them Open although littered with alarms and outright dissonance is not as impressive. The abrasion, however, can be felt even at arms length. Along the same lines as The Cult is Alive-era Darkthrone, the bass line of Chosen by No One evidences a band willing to step outside tradition without shunning it. Essentially, besides being impervious to severe criticism, Circumvention, Eternal Ground, and Antichrist Messiah dont offer much. Nevertheless, the harsh tones and confident instrumentation serve as the saving grace for three songs I could easily do without. Instead, they become part of a 43-minute black metal record that houses nary a stinker every track possesses enough redeeming traits to warrant a full listen. Yet there are uncontested winners.
Heres to Hoping has rhythms and leads worth the price of admission alone, and the repeating phrases arent monotonous, which is often a major victory considering the alternative outcome. Look no further than Abstract Nihilism for a harrowing piece of USBM, whereas Decay nearly illustrates the aftermath of a great battle in which both sides lost and were engulfed by flames at the end.
On the whole, Instinct: Decay is not the best black metal album ever created, nor is it the pinnacle of the output of the USBM faction. It is, however, Nachtmystiums crowning achievement, and what this dark crew needed in order to be seen as the epitome of a consistent, USBM outfit that has existed for a while and doesnt plan on going extinct anytime soon. Theyve still got some ground to cover and countrymen to kill if they want to be considered the top-notch purveyors of their scene, but their body of work mostly speaks for itself. Or screams, I guess.
8/10
UMs Review Rating Scale
Official Battle Kommand Records Website
Official Southern Lord Records Website
