Nocturnus AD - Paradox - review
Nocturnus AD - Paradox - review
Tracklist
01. Seizing The Throne02. The Bandar Sign
03. Paleolithic
04. Precession Of The Equinoxes
05. The Antechamber
06. The Return Of The Lost Key
07. Apotheosis
08. Aeon Of The Ancient Ones
09. Number 9
A review by
Auntie Sahar May 29, 2019
Nocturnus have long had an odd distinction of being one of the most well respected, yet frequently overlooked of the "old school" death metal bands. Being one of the first death metal bands to incorporate keyboards into their music and thus experiment with a genuine "atmospheric death metal" sound, the band is most often remembered for their landmark 1990 debut The Key, a concept album of sorts about a time traveling cyborg who travels back to the first millennium BC to kill an infant Jesus because religious blasphemy. Recently Nocturnus has struck back in the form of Nocturnus AD, centered around Mike Browning, who contributed drums and vocals on The Key. Nearly 30 years later, the group is tapping back to the legacy of the Nocturnus debut with a debut of their own, 2019's Paradox.
Considering the fact that Browning is the only member of Nocturnus's lineup from The Key still present on Paradox, the group he's assembled under his banner does a pretty damn fine job at recreating the classic Nocturnus sound. While Paradox might not be as keen as its forefather on the spacey, electronic factor, being overall more deserving of the "technical death metal" label than "atmospheric" or "progressive" death metal, it nonetheless does a fantastic job of more or less redelivering The Key and all its glory for a present day audience. Replete with wicked, complex riffage, keyboard interludes that enhance the sci fi vibe, and Mike Browning's raspy vocals that differ very little in sound from his delivery on The Key, with Paradox Nocturnus AD generate a sound sure to please listeners who were looking to see them tap into their legacy, but that may disappoint listeners who were looking for something a little newer and more unexpected.
If there's anything to complain about with Paradox, it's the fact that Nocturnus AD are essentially going for The Key 2.0 with this album, and that overall it's not very high on the originality factor. Additionally, most of the tracks stick around the same upbeat, frantic tempo, meaning that there's little distinction between them, and after a while the sound on Paradox does become a bit repetitive. But in all fairness, Paradox may be more of an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" type of thing than anything else. As The Key was never anything less than an album that received near universal praise among the death metal community, there could certainly be worse examples that Nocturnus AD could be tapping into as a source of inspiration for Paradox. Sure, you could criticize this album for a lack of originality, but you damn sure can't criticize it for a lack of quality.
The time traveling cyborg is still head hunting. Help bid him a warm welcome to 2019.
Written by Auntie Sahar | May 29, 2019
Comments
Comments:
16
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 Posts: 8249 |
Posts: 8249
The Key 2.0 was never going to be as good as The Key because the latter was a total masterpiece, but I do enjoy it. It actually grows on me with every listen. Tracks like "The Return Of The Lost Key" and "Number 9" are astonishing.
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Posts: 5989 Written by nikarg on 30.05.2019 at 01:55 Yep, my thoughts exactly. And honestly, considering the fact that to this day there still aren't that many death metal bands that really pull off a Nocturnus type sound, even among the really tech-heavy spacey ones, this album is still pretty original when you compare it to the rest of the death metal scene. It's really only unoriginal by Nocturnus's own standards.
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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Posts: 545 Written by Auntie Sahar on 30.05.2019 at 02:20 As I only really care about "The Key" this is exacly what I wanted. Didn't need to be "orignial" IMO, aslong as it was good. And it is more then good, its excellent!
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Posts: 9624
Now that we've had a Nocturnus reunion album can we please please get a Timeghoul reunion album as well
---- Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all?
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Posts: 64428
Key was masterpiece i doubt it can be re composed.
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"  I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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Posts: 5989 Written by Bad English on 30.05.2019 at 13:25 Wrong
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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Posts: 5989 Written by RaduP on 30.05.2019 at 09:58 And a Ved Buens Ende one too please
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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Posts: 9624 Written by Auntie Sahar on 31.05.2019 at 04:43 That one's probably coming
---- Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all?
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Posts: 243 Written by RaduP on 30.05.2019 at 09:58 iirc the main guy from Timeghoul is a giant piece of trash and he's been exorcised from the greater metal community. Would love another album but we'll just have to settle for that excellent comp.
---- Learn to adapt to the change, or get washed away like tears in the rain.
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Posts: 9624 Written by The Benighted on 31.05.2019 at 18:11 Which one? Jeff?
---- Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all?
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Posts: 15359
Nice work on the review, rather enjoyed the album. remember hearing one of the tracks off The Key back in the proverbial day but never could find a copy of the album until well after DM peaked, died, was all but buried (and most my interest with metal) until the early 00's US "revival". This album doesn't have the same impact as The Key (or the one track) did 25 years and change ago, but is still a fantastic album.
---- get the fuck off my lawn. Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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Posts: 243 |
Posts: 243 Written by RaduP on 31.05.2019 at 18:19 Nah Mike Stevens. Made a whole bunch of racist and generally repugnant claims for years and years and it finally caught up to him.
---- Learn to adapt to the change, or get washed away like tears in the rain.
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Posts: 3593 Written by The Benighted on 01.06.2019 at 06:34 Hopefully that won't stop him for making new music, if he decides to return ofc. New Timeghoul would be exciting. As for this, it's definitely a worthy successor for The Key, even more than Thresholds. EDIT: After looking some info about him it seems he released a DM album last year and it sounds like Timeghoul, maybe worse tho.
---- Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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 Posts: 13290 |
Posts: 13290
I really enjoy this album! I love both the original Nocturnus albums, and this is pretty much in the same vein as the review says. The Key was unique enough, so how they have managed to recreate the same feeling on this is great to hear!
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 Posts: 4792 |
Posts: 4792
Really good album, definitely lives to the standards of The Key Waiting for the next one.
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