Review: Nocurnal Rites – 'Phoenix'

NOCTURNAL RITES 
'Phoenix' 
AFM RECORDS 

Swedish power metal band Nocturnal Rites comes back with an album filled with hardcore power! Released on September 29th, the band’s most recent album, 'Phoenix', presents an incredible mix between old rock and ferocious metal music, taking the best of both styles to create a highly addictive drug for our ears.

After ten years since the last time we heard from these guys, Nocturnal Rites return with a interesting repertoire consisting on eleven powerful songs, each one of them with a different side of what could be seen as the same idea: the relationship between humans, alternating the genres of classical rock with power metal.

'Phoenix' starts with an attractive duality, an appealing contrast, with the explosive 'A Hearth Black As Coal' and 'The Poisonous Seed', and softer, old-school style 'Before We Waste Away', playing their cards very well. A perfect way to introduce themselves to new audiences and gain again the heart of their old followers.

Trying a symphonic vein, Nocturnal Rites explores their possibilities with 'Repent My Sins' experimenting with more neo-classical instruments and an orchestral sound that goes with a very similar structure than their second track’s, before going back to their old styles in 'What’s Killing Me', following their successful, initial duality.

Breaking this structure, comes an epic hymn, 'A Song For You', that infuses all the will our batteries could ever want in a moment of need, perfect to rise our heads and keep going on, right before the dramatic, yet honest, 'The Ghost Inside Me', destined to be a fan favourite; I know it is among mine, along with the previous track.

'Phoenix' follows this self-help vein with the next songs, about to close the disc, 'Nothing Can Break Me', a softer hymn with electronic elements I fell in love with since the first time, and 'Flames', which could be considered the weakest track of the record, but only because it is to be compared with the rest of it.

Nocturnal Rites finishes such a wild record with two equally strong songs that touch the same topics as before, bringing a fair balance to 'Phoenix'. 'Used To Be Good' and its twin sibling, the sarcastically named 'Welcome To The End', are the right end for a long-awaited album, proving that ten years have done nothing but improve the band’s quality; definitely worth the wait! 

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