NIGHTFALL LYSSA - Rural Gods and Astonishing Punishments
Black Lotus Records
2004
www.nightfallstar.com
1. Dark Red Sky
2. Swollen
3. Christless
4. Master Of My Dreams
5. The Perfect Li(f)e
6. The End Times
7. Synastry
8. One Of These Days (Click To Download Track)
9. Victimized
10. So(u)l Invictus
11. Essence
I must admit right off the bat; I am virtually a virgin to NIGHTFALL, having only heard one or two songs in my life. That said, this latest release is simply amazing. This band now joins ROTTING CHRIST in the category of Greek bands that I enjoy. Yeah, there arent that many.
The closest comparison I can think of would be Shades Of God or maybe Icon era PARADISE LOST; powerful, yet melodic, a tinge of gothic to it, but the vocals are much heavier with NIGHTFALL. Yeah, Im gonna go ahead and say it, this album is better than the aforementioned PARADISE LOST and then some. Better songs, better production, this has all of the makings of a classic, defining moment in NIGHTFALLs career.
Theres a lot of riffing and the guitar sound is similar to something captured at Woodhouse Studios, but a bit more aggressive. Drummer George Kollias turns in a stellar performance, and mention must be made of his side gig as the new drummer for NILE.
LYSSA begins heavy enough with Dark Red Sky, an anthem in the making; I can see the crowd chanting the chorus already. Lots of double bass, adjust your speakers accordingly. Elsewhere, Christless is probably one of my favorite tracks. I like the sound effects that are underneath the riffs, and the verses have an epic feel to them. The Perfect Li(f)e is another excellent track, as well. It features one of my favorite riffs out there right now, cant get it out of my head! When vocalist Efthimis Karadimas lets out his tortured growl, a big smile hits these lips.
The pulsing power of Synastry is infectious and ultimately the listener will realize this album isnt losing any steam. Unlike many of their contemporaries, this album is sequenced very well for the listeners enjoyment. Check out the wicked riff that opens One of These Days, and then listen as they throw the organ in the background for the verse right before the bridge spirals downward into a speed filled momentum that sounds like an oncoming freight train. What a great song, and they just keep surprising me as the cd continues.
Overall, LYSSA is a workout in powerful riffs and strong melodies, traits that can be found easily in So(u)l Invictus. Like I said before, one of the great things about this album is its sequencing, as there are standout tracks to be found even as the album winds down to its end. In fact, the heaviest track is the final track, where Kollias truly shows off the drumming chops that probably got him the NILE gig, the blasts sound full of fury! A well recommended purchase, if I do say so myself.
Rating: 8.5/10
Papa Josh
