Review: NIGHTBRINGER – Terra Damnata

NIGHTBRINGER Terra Damnata
Underground Activists

America and its Black Metal scene… I can count on one hand the bands that spring to mind.
NIGHTBRINGER are without doubt the kings that sit on that US throne and in April 2017 we saw them release their fifth album Terra Damnata on Season of Mist Underground Activists.

In Terra Damnata I was hit by musical ability that not many can hold a black candle to. There was not an off kilter, no need dissonant note within it but Terra Damnata holds its own in the modern market place and still pays homage to forefathers. Blisteringly fast and deep.  Filled with awe. Yes; it’s Black Metal porn – it’s that good.

Musically, whilst an instant comparison with Norway’s mighty EMPEROR will be made by every listener within the first few minutes, I really want to point out that EMPEROR went for glory, might and orchestral bombast. NIGHTBRINGER tune their orchestra into a deep, complexing and resonating hatred. The keyboard must be set to ‘frightening’ all the fuckin’ time! The guitars, oh the winding, shredding speed of that lead guitar Sonically awesome, mixed with little thought for fashion and crystalizing their sound outright. Almost a victory if it wasn’t for too much in the low register overall. I cannot get away from the feeling that the mix is not for my taste, try as I might I cannot hear all I want to. After multiple listens with reference equipment I took to my MusicBee equalizer and found myself some relief. Perhaps I will grow into it, after many more listens. Vocals are their many layered and mid-paced usual. They seethe and hiss with a sickness that doesn’t overpower the music and only adds to the excellent lyrics, to the true commitment to occultism through dark and esoteric lyrics like ‘Bear witness to the end, an Aeon’s death knell, our final jubilation shall be in the tolling of its bell – Morse Triumphalis’.

NIGHTBRINGER are without doubt a band that offers the very blackness that consumes them. Careful, this is serious stuff and you know what Friedrich Nietzsche said about staring into the abyss, right? Like most Heavy Metal fans, I’m a lover of the dark. Usually, the darker a subject is, the more I want to know about it. NIGHTBRINGER have satisfied me again – They took me in sonically, visually (check out the superb artist David Herrerias) and lyrically. Then they spat me back out with some of the best Black Metal in the last year.  I don’t say it lightly.

Favourite track: “Let The Silence Be His Sacred Name”.

Why not take a look on Bandcamp to find a Red vinyl, double gatefold or Digital download?