Time Signature The revisit...

Genre: doom/traditional metal

The Swedish doom act Noctum's debut was hugely retrospective, drawing virtually on every aspect of early doom and proto-metal. Now they are back with their sophomore full-length "Final Sacrifice".

The 70s sound is still a very important element of the sound on this album, but the Swedes have expanded their sound beyond mere celebration of the past. The production on this album has a much more modern sound, and, musically, they have injected a dose of 80s traditional metal into their sound - in particular, it seems that Mercyful Fate have served as somewhat of a source of inspiration in addition to the Pentagram and Black Sabbath influence that characterized the debut album. We are even treated to some Lizzy- and Maiden-styled twin lead guitars in the massive closing track 'Azoth'.

Thus, there are several uptempo passages on album, such as in 'Conflagration', 'A Burning Will', and 'Temple of the Living Dead'. This does not mean that the album is void of gloom and doom, and a track like 'The Visit' has everything that makes good traditional doom metal, and the groovy 'Ressurrected Evil' also features some old-fashioned doom metal riffage, as does 'Void of Emptiness'.

Although I liked the debut album quite a lot, I think that the new - or rather, enhanced - musical direction on "Final Sacrifice" is an improvement which shows great promise... even if it means a step in the direction away from retro doom metal. Fans of traditional doom metal and traditional heavy metal as well as hard rock in general are bound to appreciate this slab of doom rock.

Time Signature Lucifer's way...

Genre: very old school doom metal

Step into the time machine and let Noctum take you on a time trip back to the early 70s (bring a bong if you wish). Noctum delivers veeeeeery old school, blues-driven, doom metal which seeks back to the very roots of heavy metal music, drawing particularly on Black Sabbath, but also on bands like Led Zeppelin, Sir Lord Baltimore and Budgie - and I'm sure they've listened to their share of Pentagram, too.

Even the production - while free from noise and clipping, and with no instruments obscuring others in the mix - pretty much manages to capture an authentic 70s hard rock sound.

Musically, they sound a lot like early Black Sabbath, and some might bash them for being a bunch of copycats. However, I think that Noctum deliver on "The Seance". The music is dark and heavy, but with a catchy blues-rock based drive, and the drumming sounds bong-rippingly chaotic (just like Bill Ward). The vocals are very clear, raw and unprocessed - there is not a lot of technique there, just belting (David Indelöf does not, by the way, sound at all like Ozzy), and some younger listeners might require a couple of listens to get used to the raw production quality of the vocals.

If you want to criticize Noctum for being Sabbath-clones, you might hav ea point, but I think that their style is awesome, and I really appreciate how they go back to the very roots of heavy metal music.

This certainly belong to the satanic bong-ripping class of doom metal, and if you like Sabbath, Pentagram and stoner metal and authentic 70s hardrock generally, this should be right up your alley.