Nite - Cult Of The Serpent Sun - review
Nite - Cult Of The Serpent Sun - review
Tracklist
01. Cult Of The Serpent Sun02. Skull
03. Crow (Fear The Night)
04. The Mystic
05. Tha Last Blade
06. Carry On
07. Tarmut
08. Winds Of Sokar
A review by
AndyMetalFreak March 18, 2025
Incorporating blackened elements with traditional heavy metal is always going to be a winning formula for me, so it's no surprise that the blackened heavy subgenre has been a thriving across the metal world lately. For instance, 2024 alone introduced us to some of the best records heard within this niche in recent years, with Bewitcher, Bütcher and Morgul Blade all releasing stellar material that I'm sure I'll still be headbanging away to in the future. Up there with the very best of them is San Francisco-based Nite, who formed back in 2018. Following Darkness Silence Mirror Flame (2020) and Voices Of The Kronian Moon (2022), they once more hoping to maintain this impressive form with third full-length offering Cult Of The Serpent Sun.
The unchanged foursome of Van Labrakis (vocals/guitar), Scott Hoffman (guitar), Avinash Mittur (bass), and Patrick Crawford (drums) each have experience between them across the wide metal spectrum, from their works with bands such as Satan's Wrath, Mencea, Dawnbringer, and Wild Hunt, and their musicianship skills and songwriting maturity clearly shines through. As the title suggests, Cult Of The Serpent Sun exhibits a familiar dark mystical occult theme, which continues to captivate listeners regardless of how unoriginal it might be by now. However, music-wise, this is not just standard output wthin this subgenre; the album contains more depth in its songwriting, and a much higher quality sound and production than what most of their peers can offer.
The band's approach mostly consists of duelling guitars delivering catchy classic-sounding riffs rendered with a terrific meaty tone, joined by wailing guitar leads and prolonged melodic solos, plus a groove-based rhythm section led by stylish drum beats and thundering toms. Labrakis' vocals once again remain a striking feature; his aggressive, semi-harsh, and demonically menacing vocals are almost like a combination of Joel Grind of Toxic Holocaust and Lemmy of Motörhead, and this brings a tremendous amount of aggressive old-school energy. There are several moments that make the album less straightforward than basic blackened heavy metal, the main song being "The Mystic". This is an enchantingly melancholic song with a slight dark gothic approach, and it's unexpectedly powerful and emotive compared with what the band is usually known for.
The first few songs set the album off to a solid start, but things really start to get interesting from the third track in, "Crow (Fear The Night)". This song for me is one of two standout songs; while not frantic in pace, a steady rhythm builds enough intensity to get your adrenaline rushing, and the main riff contains an infectious riff melody that keeps you hooked, before you're met by a striking solo near the end. "The Last Blade" is the other song which really captures my attention, and in fact it could well be one of the catchiest songs released in metal this year. Again, it's not necessarily the heaviest or most ferocious, but there's so much energy, and the old-school hard rock groovy riffing and traditional melodic leads combined with harsh blackened vocals makes for a remarkable combination.
Nite have had a fine run of form in their short 7-year existence, and are now fast becoming one of the dominant forces in blackened heavy metal. With plenty of memorable hooks and top-notch songwriting, Cult Of The Serpent Sun feels like their most accomplished album so far. The running length of 36 minutes also allows you to enjoy repeat spins, allowing the album to sink in and grow on you. It might not contain the raw edgy stripped-back approach of Midnight or the breakneck tempo of Hellripper, but Nite have developed a trademark style of their own that is defined by some of the most deliciously melodic solos and fascinating vocal styles the subgenre has to offer.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 7 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 6 |
| Production: | 8 |
Written on 18.03.2025 by
Written on 18.03.2025 by
An honest review that you don't necessarily have to agree with. Comments
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Thanks for the review, I'll check this out. I overlooked this because I thought it was a new Nile album 
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Posts: 6670 Written by Ball Fondlers on 19.03.2025 at 15:26 Your not the only one thought that 
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| Metal Spartan 78
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Great album, really strong and might win awards in end of the year
---- 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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