NOCTURNAL RITES – Phoenix

2017 has seen the return of several Metal bands after decades-long hiatuses with bands like Tytan (thirty-two years between albums) and Hexx (twenty-six years between albums) shaking off the rust to put new songs out into the world. Swedish Melodic Metal stalwarts Nocturnal Rites have returned from a decade of recording silence with their ninth album, the well-named Phoenix. One wonders if their substantial catalogue meant that the band felt more pressure with the new material; they have a lot more to live up to than say Tytan and their sole release. If so they channeled that pressure in a positive direction, because Phoenix has Nocturnal Rites building upon the sound they’d developed throughout the nineties on up to their last release, 2007’s The 8th Sin. The strong harmonies are still there, and the musicianship sharper and more assured than ever before.

Vocalist Jonny Lindqvist brings real emotion and pathos to the songs, especially in some of the more plaintive tracks like lead single “Before We Waste Away” and the exceptional bonus track “Used To Be God”. The band delivers some fantastic musical moments on many of the individual tracks; although if there is one small knock on the album it would be that most of the songs are very similar in tone and pace. “The Ghost Inside Me” is one of the more thrilling exceptions, kicking off with a lightning-strike drum fill and later revealing the album’s most majestic chorus and some of the best soloing during the break. Fans of the band’s earlier work should be very pleased with Phoenix, and it’s an effort strong enough to pull in some new fans as well.

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