WitchHands : "Nox Nihili

The death rock revival was more short-lived than I would have liked. We did get the likes of Alaric and Atriarch from it, and Astari Nite started off in that vein but has integrated more 80s sounds. So any addition to the genre is welcome. This is a re-imagining / re-recording of their first album, which I do not recall hearing, so this might as well be new. This death rock band leans into the more punk side of the genre. The vocals are belted with moments of creepy crooning. The pace picks up to more of your standard punk fare on the second song. I am not sure Wilson Pickett is best translated over into this sort of thing.

"Belle" creeps to life at first, but the vocals come in and bring a more bellowing explosion. The bombastic manner things are built is not unlike Killing Joke. The is more of a punk attack to "Demons". This makes the raw nature of the vocal make more sense. I can also hear how New Model Army might be an influence at certain points. "Ozymandias" finds the vocals taking on a more gruff bark. The drummer holds everything together, I am surprised the bass in not more crucial to the mix as that defined Christian Death's sound. 

"Night Falls" finds the guitar bringing a darker pulse. The song does build off this more melancholy pulse.  From this point on, the album pretty much goes in a more punk direction. The lyrics to getting more horror-oriented, which I can appreciate. The title track closes the album. It finds a pretty effective groove that is the first song that has a metallic edge to it, though this does give more of a Killing Joke vibe. I will give this album an 8, it's fun and very raw punk in its aesthetic. 

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