ALBUM REVIEW: Nocturnal Graves – An Outlaw’s Stand

Australian Blackened Death-Thrashers NOCTURNAL GRAVES are back with their 4th full length album, out on January 7th via Season Of Mist Underground Activists.

Buzzing flies indicate the hostile atmosphere of the record ahead, taking a simple approach at unwelcoming any potential weaklings. Blistering drums and guitars erupt into a lively display of volatile and seething Extreme Metal that leads soar upon to give us a classic Heavy Metal touch in the biting mix of Black, Death and Thrash chaos. Now that the extensive range of sounds Nocturnal Graves cover have been appropriately outlined, we can progress to more specific things. Bitterly delivered vocals announce lines of scorn upon waves of scathing intent from the instrumental side of the sound, apocalyptic and unforgiving in their singular delivery. Opening wounds with taunting melodics and grooves before desecrating all in their path with a bestial barrage of vitriol, there is a profoundly enticing balance of throat-gripping savagery and pure Metal ecstasy.

“No Mercy For Weakness” is not just a song title, but a declaration of the records intent. This is unforgiving, uncompromising and unrelenting Extreme Metal that will take elements of all things profane and aggressive, concoct them into a firestorm of riffs and blast beats and spew them through the cavernous, abyssal expanses of hell. Though the movements of the band are ultimately linear, this stomping cut of demonic artillery is certainly not predictable and gives us a stoic and yet unwieldy example of the healthy underground Australia has had all along, yet has time and time again been cast astray by the fickle masses, to be favoured by the truest legions of the underground only. From the days of Mortal Sin and Armored Angel, to the barbarian sounds of Sadistik Exekution and Bestial Warlust to Nocturnal Graves’ touring allies Destroyer 666, all of these bands have had cult followings and I think this particular horde has the same potential. In my experience, not only are they formidable on record but utterly devastating live too, which always is the maker or breaker of a bands sonic credibility in this vein. Zealous, contagious and feral, there is no denying the tangible strength of this band.

A deathly affair of truly pitiless, carnivorous, Metallic savagery. Nocturnal Graves continue their conquering of Extreme Metal with another triumphant tome of aural annihilation that is not to be missed.