Our need for retro-metal is being met once again from a band from Sweden in the form of Final Sacrifice the sophomore full length album from Noctum. Just in case you don’t know them yet Noctum is a four-piece band from Uppsala, Sweden who formed around 2009. Their debut album The Séance, was released in September 2010 and was a fine doom album in the vein of Black Sabbath / Pentagram. With this album Noctum has stayed with their retro leanings but have moved to a more NWOBHM sound that brings to mind the early days of the great Mercyful Fate. Now, a lot of you kids may not remember Mercyful Fate, as it has been quite a while since they put out an album, but they were one of the great bands of the early 80’s and a springboard for the career of King Diamond. Much like Mercyful Fate, Noctum has created a concept album that delves significantly into the occult side of metal and left the more doom side of their music behind. An interesting choice as this style of music lends itself to the more mainstream fan and using the darker imagery could be a challenge for the more casual fan but I guess if Ghost B.C. can do it anyone can.
The main take away from this album is that Noctum are excellent musicians and songwriters and their ability to add the appropriate atmosphere to their music is solid. The hooks are evident in just about every song and the songs themselves are extremely catchy and memorable. There has obviously been a lot of effort put forth on this album to make the production sound retro and it comes through perfectly. It reminds me of listening to this type of music in my youth, on tape, in the garage with my friends. Noctum has done a fine job of taking the listener back in time to the simpler days of metal and making more with less. Songs such as the opener 'Conflagration' and 'Resurrected in Evil' are great examples of how a song can combine the dark themes of the album with the accessibility of a well written music and a strong concept.
With all of that said, the one thing I just can’t ignore is this album is a Mercyful Fate album! I hate to say that but it is! From the first vocal shriek in the opening song to the high pitched King Diamond-esq backing vocals sprinkled throughout this album. Listening to this album is like listening to a lost Mercyful Fate album. The dual guitar work and even the drum fills have the hallmark sound of Mecyful Fate. Some may say that I am picking on this poor band but the truth is that the only thing original with this album are the lyrics as the vocal tones, timing, solos, and pacing have already been done by another band. Just listen to the intro to 'Void of Emptiness' and tell me it doesn’t come straight from Don’t Break the Oath!
I get that there have been plenty of bands recently that have emulated the sound of the past in our most recent retro renaissance but with most bands there is some originality to what they bring to the music. I just don’t see that here with this album from Noctum. Do I like the album? Yes, but I like it because it sounds exactly like Mercyful Fate. Do I know what kind of a band Noctum really is? No, because on this particular album they sound like a tribute band. Would I buy the album? I guess that depends on if I can either ignore the comparisons or just not care because I have been hoping for another Mercyful Fate album anyway and Final Sacrifice will fill that void sufficiently. So I guess the bottom line is yes, Final Sacrifice is a good album and probably worth your time but there is definitely nothing original about it and maybe that’s OK for a retro album.
Until Later, Peace!
