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/:: Artist :: Nokturnal Mortum ::\
:: Album :: Holos Stali ::
:: Year :: 2024 ::
:: __ _ _ __ ::
-:--\\-----------------------------------------------------------------//--:-
:: \ / ::
:: . Genre :: Black Metal Source :: CD . ::
:: Label :: Black Metal Store R.date :: 2024-06-09 ::
_::__ Cat.nr. :: BMS101 S.date :: 2024-05-07 __::_
::// \\::
::/---------------------------------------------------------------------\::
:: ::
/: Encoder :: LAME 3.100 -V0 :\
..: Bitrate :: avg. 281kbps :..
. Quality :: 44.1 kHz/Joint Stereo .
. Size :: 129.99MB .
. .
__ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __
.\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////.
+/ -\------- | | ----\ tracklist /---- | | -------/- \+
/: . : : . :\
/:: ::\
:: 1. Intro 3:06 ::
:: 2. Holos stali 9:54 ::
:: 3. Val'kyryya 10:47 ::
:: 4. Moyeyi mriyi ostrovy 11:47 ::
:: 5. Shlyakhom sontsya 9:06 ::
:: 6. Nebo sumnykh nochey 4:50 ::
:: 7. Bila vezha 11:49 ::
:: ::
:: ::
:: ------- ::
.. >> 61:19 ..
__ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __
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+/ -\------- | | ----\ release notes /---- | | -------/- \+
/: . : : . :\
/:: ::\
:: ::
:: More than four years after the release of their previous LP, ::
:: 2005Æs Weltanschauung, Ukranian symphonic black metal band ::
:: Nokturnal Mortum have presented us with The Voice Of Steel, an ::
:: album which is both insanely varied and rock-solid. The amalgam ::
:: of traditional eastern-European folk music, symphonic black ::
:: metal, and touches of genres like blues and hard rock make ::
:: Voice Of Steel easily the most bold release of Nokturnal ::
:: MortumÆs career. The black metal portion is less ::
:: keyboard-centered, instead going for numerous guitar solos ::
:: which draw influences from a wide array of musical styles and a ::
:: good emphasis on the bass guitar. This styling really helps ::
:: keep the one hour and twelve minute album from growing stale, ::
:: and also shows a giant leap in songwriting progression for the ::
:: band. ::
:: ::
:: Save two tracks, each song clocks in at over eight minutes, ::
:: going to upwards of twelve. This leaves a lot of room for a ::
:: vast array of different riffs and transitions which make the ::
:: ending of each song sound a world away from the beginning. ::
:: Take, for instance, the third track ôValkyrieö: the song starts ::
:: off right from the get-go with intensely heavy black metal ::
:: laden with tremolo picking and blast beats before it breaks ::
:: into a symphonic bridge before transitioning to clean chanting ::
:: vocals, only to move to a slower guitar solo which brings to ::
:: mind influences from 80Æs metal to hard rock, before slamming ::
:: you with more black metal. It might sound crazy, but Nokturnal ::
:: Mortum somehow makes each and every song enjoyable despite ::
:: countless different sounds flying around. The pristine ::
:: production helps facilitate such a strong atmosphere, with each ::
:: and every instrument audible at all times. ::
:: ::
:: Indeed, the increased use of melody really makes The Voice Of ::
:: Steel an enjoyable listen and more than just an album which you ::
:: will listen to once every few months. In both the verse riffing ::
:: and the multiple guitar solos which show off a huge display of ::
:: technicality which Nokturnal Mortum was, for some reason, ::
:: hiding for so long, you will find excellent songwriting and a ::
:: keen ear for harmony that helps to keep things constantly ::
:: fresh. The atmospheric tracks like ôMy Dream Islandsö and ôSky ::
:: Of Saddened Nightsö provide both an increased synth display as ::
:: well as a calm, almost beautiful side to the music which even ::
:: further displays the daunting array of different sounds ::
:: displayed here. The heavier tracks, as well, often showcase ::
:: extremely heavy mid-paced black metal which never overstays its ::
:: welcome but almost always adds a solid base on which to build ::
:: the remainder of the song. ::
:: ::
:: ItÆs really impossible to fully describe how exactly The Voice ::
:: Of Steel sounds. ItÆs a unique album which most certainly ::
:: deserves a spot in the top black metal releases of the year, as ::
:: well as yet another affirmation that Nokturnal Mortum are one ::
:: of the most consistently good symphonic black metal bands in ::
:: the scene. Their music, as it is displayed here, has matured to ::
:: a sound which sets this band apart from any other in the world. ::
:: The raspy scream of Varggoth to the hugely atmospheric cleans ::
:: of guest musician W. Angel provide engaging vocal arrangements ::
:: on top of the impressive musicianship, and as a package The ::
:: Voice Of Steel far and away surpasses fellow Ukranian band ::
:: DrudkhÆs latest album Microcosmos, probably the only other ::
:: release which sounds even close to what is displayed here. Four ::
:: years was a while to wait for this album, but with the quality ::
:: displayed on The Voice Of Steel, it would have been worth the ::
:: wait even if the album took another four to complete. ::
:: ::
:: ::
:: Translations: ::
:: ::
:: "The Voice of Steel" ::
:: 1. Intro ::
:: 2. Voice of Steel ::
:: 3. Valkyrie ::
:: 4. My Dream Islands ::
:: 5. By Path of the Sun ::
:: 6. Sky of Saddened Nights ::
:: 7. White Tower ::
:: ::
:: . _ _ . ::
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