Band:	Nachtmystium
Album:	The World We Left Behind
Style:	Psychedelic black metal
Release date:	August 04, 2014
A review by:	Auntie Sahar

01. Intrusion
02. Fireheart
03. Voyager
04. Into The Endless Abyss
05. In The Absence Of Existence
06. The World We Left Behind
07. Tear You Down
08. On The Other Side
09. Epitaph For A Dying Star

Blake Judd, love him or hate him, is now presenting us with the last chapter in the saga of Nachtmystium, one of the most important names in American black metal of the past decade, and a thirteen year trip through savage territories both familiar and unconventional. And what a fitting end piece it is.

The World We Left Behind can best be summed up as containing most of the elements that up until now have made Nachtmystium the project that it is. If you've been following along from the beginning (or at least since the pivotal Instinct: Decay) you'll know what to expect: the usual catchy, bouncy riffage, a pleasantly alternating tempo, and a very particular vocal delivery that comes across as harsh, yet discernible. Blake's vocals have always tended to be fairly understandable even without having lyrics right in front of you, and The World We Left Behind is no exception. Of all these factors, however, it's the catchiness that really sells this album, making it both fun and easy to bob your head to. Tracks like "Fireheart" and "On The Other Side" (especially with the solo in the latter) plod along more like some eccentric form of extreme rock than black metal, and whether this higher sense of accessibility is seen negatively or not, it definitely gets the job done.

In addition, fans of the more experimental side of Nachtmystium may be pleased as well by the slight presence of some Black Meddle-ish electronic elements sprinkled in throughout The World We Left Behind. Though not of prime importance, these little moments, like in the middle of "Fireheart" or on "Tear You Down," go a long way towards reminding the listener that Blake Judd still embraces this aspect of his project, even when serving it in smaller degrees, and they help to give the album the extra personality it needs to be engaging on a bit of a deeper level. The clean vocals on closer "Epitath For A Dying Star" work wonders as well, and if Nachtmystium ever needed a ballad (as if "Seasick" wasn't one already?), this track is it.

So what should we remember, looking back on the career that has been Nachtmystium's? Taking the internal controversies and accusations surrounding Blake Judd aside, we're still left with a band that's demonstrated a pretty respectable level of consistency across their discography, including two albums that immediately raised the bar for innovation within black metal, and were fundamental towards proving American bands still relevant and formidable in the international scene. The World We Left Behind is an appropriate end to this journey with its sense of blending the project's various sounds together, and will likely go down as an enjoyable last chapter in this part of black metal's history. Cheers, Mr. Judd. It's been great riding with you all this time.

Check out "Tear You Down" over here, and stay tuned for the full release in a few days!