Nachtmystium - Silencing Machine

The experimentation side of Nachtmystium  on albums such as 'Assassins...' and 'Addicts...' was really interesting to me and I must say, I preferred it to their earlier albums. 'Assassins...' was even one of my favourite albums of 2008. With 'Silencing Machine', Nachtmystium appears to have dropped a bit of that experimentation side, but picked up a few little pieces out of there and taken them back with them on the path to the black metal side. With great result.

First take the more noisier production. This static sound that helps add to the bleakness that surrounds this album. Take the title song where it is most evident. Things come off much harsher, the vocals, the riffs. Those tremolos especially have a bit more tear to them. The effects on here too is where the experimentation still thrives and helps convey different vibes. For example, the fluttering noise in the punk like 'Decimation, Annihilation', the subtle haze in 'The Lepers Of Destitution', and the tip toeing chimes on 'These Rooms In Which We Weep'.

I like the variation in the riffs too. Tremolo riffing that is like sitting on a cliff side on a bleak day and watching lightning bolts scatter and scramble quickly across the ocean far in the distance. The echoing lead work like the way it comes in on 'These Rooms In Which We Weep'. Then you will have those moments of walls of distortion like in 'The Lepers Of Destitution' where with the subtle keyboard and effects gives it so much more atmosphere. The catchy rocking riffs are still around too like in the title song and songs like 'Borrowed Hope And Broken Dreams' and 'Give Me The Grave' come off like blackened rock anthems. After you have sat on the cliff side, you go to an old, dark and filthy pub in the middle of nowhere and drink back to Nachtmystium rocking out on the small stage.

Blake's vocals are harsher in effect this time around. They appear colder too. Sometimes you will hear hints of strain like in 'I Wait In Hell' and 'Reduced To Ashes', perhaps the most evil sounding songs on the album. In other moments, the way he forces he words out, like he is gritting his teeth as he delivers them with precision (eg: 'Borrowed Hope And Broken Dreams). The effect makes his vocals distinctive, that's for sure.

And with the variation in structures means the drumming also stands out more. Hearing it transcend from the hard hitting fills in 'And I Control You', to the punk beats of 'Decimation, Annihilation' to the rushing speeds in songs like 'Silencing Machine' or 'I Wait In Hell', like some powerful wind. With this, the key thing I pick up more is how much each song stands out.

Overall, the sound on 'Silencing Machine' may take them back to a more black metal side, but the vibe of 'Assassins...' and 'Addicts...' still lingers around here. This could be the album where after trying different things recently, they may have finally found that place where they want to be. If it is, then I am even more interested to see where Nachtmystium go from here then I was previously. Again, they will be in my end of year favourites list.

Ikil