E.P. Review: The Noctambulant - Hellrazor
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
Blackened thrash is a label which is very much in vogue and this is another face-melting E.P. which you should really get involved with if the darker side of extreme is your thing.
Jacksonville, Florida isn’t where you’d naturally associate the cold, darkened heartbeat of Scandinavian black metal and The Noctambulant have moved their sound to incorporate the warmer, damper climes in their latest release. The band have a slew of E.P.s and two full length releases behind them since their formation in 2013 and now offer a viciously aggressive intro plus four song E.P. which pushes the boundaries between the traditional black metal sound and a harsher thrash and death metal convergence.
Crawling with hostile, evil intent, the atmospheric intro is insufficient to serve as a warning to the addictively hook-laden title track that explodes out of the speakers. ‘Hellrazor’ stomps, batters, and powers its way forward. The sound of battle provides the intro to ‘The Blackened Swords of Satan’, which spews forth like projectile vomit from Ol’ Nick himself. The snarling screams of guitarist and vocalist E. Helvete startle and erupt with irresistible force, ably supported by the blistering rhythm section of bassist Lars and drummer D. Franseth.
If anything, the E.P. improves as it progresses. ‘GHBM’ incorporates some of the Southern Gothic motif of their home, with some searing guitar work and a driving tempo that is as infectious as it is brutal. It’s unsurprising that this band have supported bands as diverse as Moonspell, to Thy Antichrist, to Skeletonwitch, to Turisas. Their music dovetails with all those bands.
With a name that means Night Walker, it’s hardly surprising that their music invokes a sinister feel. The explosive ‘Troll Crusher’ that closes this E.P. is a blistering cacophony of riffing and a magnificent way to conclude an E.P. that oozes aggression and atmosphere in spades.
