Noctiferia - Death Culture - review
Noctiferia - Death Culture - review
Tracklist
01. Premonition02. Terror
03. Deluders & Followers
04. Monarch
05. Demoncracy
06. Slavedriver
07. Rust
08. Non Individuum
09. Catarsis
10. Demagog
11. Holymen
12. Samsara
13. SM 02
A review by
jupitreas June 23, 2010
Damn.
Listening to Noctiferia's Death Culture is much like taking that gruelling, time-consuming and repetitive journey through a state-of-the-art security perimeter with the hope of excavating a life-saving weapon. It is Death Culture's production and sonic personality that makes it so difficult to traverse. This is easily some of the most dense, cold and inhuman-sounding music around but unlike Laibach or Red Harvest not in a cool, addictive way. No, Death Culture possesses the sort of level of meticulous production wizardry and multi-layer sonic architecture that the net effect is actually a lack of dynamics. Elements such as distorted vocals reminiscent of Skrew and Samael (but more monotonous), a drum-heavy yet not rhythmic sound and a generally heavy-handed, extreme approach to songwriting do not help matters much. It takes a while before Death Culture can be enjoyed and not just endured; however, given the time investment necessary, the album does become listenable. But is the salvage really worth such a hazardous ordeal?
Why, yes, in fact it is. Beneath the thick, impenetrable force field is an intriguing, surprisingly focused and accomplished album, filled with an endless supply of sonic nuance and intelligent songcraft. Every song here has something interesting in it, for example "Slavedriver" has a catchy, groove-laden riff, "Catarsis" takes a symphonic approach with infectuous drum patterns and a great bridge, "Non Individuum" has haunting atmospherics and "Samsara" has great background vocals performed by a choir. The intricate textures are often breached by quality solos played with surprising passion. The lyrics are also overall quite a few notches above the usual drivel we're subjected to on metal releases.
Finally, I have it. The wound, it's inconsequential. I made it. I have the bomb. They're gonna pay for what they did to the world. They will. The tides have turned. Ah, here, I found the trigger. Click.
Comments
Comments:
4
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Posts: 511
If your objective was to get someone curious enough to check this out, mission accomplished. I think there's been a real improvement in the quality of the staff reviews over the last few months. I find myself reading them instead of skimming them. Must be better beer.
---- You can't fight evil with a macaroni duck!
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Posts: 9126
I'm listening it right now, and I'm completely hooked at first listen.
---- My Author's Blog (in French)  "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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Posts: 511
Now that I've heard it, I've got to say I can't really agree with your review much. This is a superb album that I didn't find at all difficult to get in to. Thoroughly enjoyable listen from start to finish on my first spin. Some of it is downright catchy. The layers you write about are certainly there, as is the density, but I must have the security codes or something because I just strolled right through the perimeter and straight to enjoying and excellent album.
---- You can't fight evil with a macaroni duck!
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