Album Review: The Watchers - Nyctophilia
Reviewed by Matthew Williams
Six years after releasing their debut album, Californian rifflords The Watchers are finally back with their latest album, “Nychophilia” which is packed with deafening grooves, sizzling riffs and a raucous spirt of classic heavy metal.
The Watchers are a mix of members from Spiral Arms, White Witch Canyon, Black Gates, Systematic and Vicious Rumours, who have come together to blend their towering musicianship and anthemic writing, and these 9 new songs are proof that they have the potential to get better and better.
It all begins with the acoustic strumming intro on “Twilight” which is joined with a great bassline from Chris Lombardo, before it seamlessly rolls into “I Am The Dark” and the power really kicks in, with a cracking opening riff from guitarists Jeremy Von Epp and Tim Narducci. It paves the way for the rest of the album, and their first single “They Have No God” which is a very ambiguous song, has a harder edge to it with a strong vocal performance from Narducci coming across loud and clear.
The music rumbles like thunder on a stormy Californian night with the next few songs, but has some gentle, more serene moments as well, for example on “Garden Tomb” before the uplifting riff comes through the darkness like the sun breaking through once again and “Zodiak” is a humble, peaceful and deliciously written power ballad of a song which shows great depth to their music.
They then get back to some raucous metal musings with the heavy drums from Nick Benigno leading “Haunt You When I’m Dead” throughout and brings the album back to life, allowing the excellent Von Epp to demonstrate his solo skills again. It’s probably my favourite track on the album, as it had a ghostly, scary feel to it, but combines perfectly with the next track, “Fightin and Bleedin” which has a rough edge, almost like the band have let the shackles off and let themselves go wild!!!
We then get an insight into the doomy minds of the band, as “Taker” showcases another side of the quartet, and has very intriguing solo midway through. This is up there with “Haunt” for me as my favourite track and feel that the band should develop this side a bit more. It all ends with the title track “Nyctophilia” which has that High on Fire feel to it from the word go and rounds off a strong set of songs with a punch.
