Nachtmystium - Doomsday Derelicts

Nachtmystium mark the next chapter in their career with Doomsday Derelicts (Battle Kommand, 2009). Although only an EP, this release digs as deep as Instinct: Decay. Nachtmystium strip away all Zeppelin-esque tendencies from Assassins: Black Meddle Pt. I (reviewed here) and march forward with crisp sound. The ferocious blast beats, thrashing riffs, and Blake Judd’s croak are easier to digest. Nachtmystium dress down in Doomsday Derelicts compared to their 2008 full-length. No rock star pants for this Chicago outfit, at least on this release.

Hellish Overdose (excerpt)
Life of Fire (excerpt)

Unlike in Assassins, Nachtmystium step forward without swaying too far from what they do best: black metal. While their adventurous leanings attracted attention with Assassins, Nachtmystium spare this release of wasted space. In every track, they hit the ground running. This is most obvious in “Hellish Overdose.” The riff revs like an engine as Judd and friends scream that they’re ready to fight. In “Life of Fire,” mid-paced guitars pop with pounding piano, a catchy yet melancholy melody that’s prevalent in their earlier work.

Nachtmystium don’t constrain themselves to conventional black metal limits. Assassins proved their freethinking with new textures, sounds, and empty space. This experimentation awarded them an endorsement by Moog. But this release is less about playful synths and more about reeling Nachtmystium back to their minimalist roots. Doomsday Derelicts leaves hopes for a promising fifth full-length.

Buy:
Relapse
CM Distro
Battle Kommand