NOCTURNAL RITES — Shadowland (review)

NOCTURNAL RITES — Shadowland album cover

Album · 2002 · Power Metal

3/5 · 2023-10-09
lukretion

Nocturnal Rites’ fifth LP Shadowland is a clever album. It embraces many different directions and influences to conjure up a unique sound that makes the Swedish band instantly recognizable in a field that, by the late 90s / early 00s, was definitely becoming overcrowded. On the one hand, the Swedes seem to find inspiration in the German speed/power metal tradition of bands like Helloween and Gamma Ray. Tracks like the title-track, “Revelation” and “Vengeance” are built around fast tempos punctuated by relentless double-bass drumming and rapid-fire riffs, which create a massive tension in the song’s verses to then release it in the hyper-melodic, brighter choruses. Elsewhere, however, the influence of neoclassical metal and hard-rock is equally prominent. “Invincible”, “Underworld”, and “Faceless God” unfurl through moody mid-tempos, menacing riffs and baroque melodies that immediately bring to mind the work of Rainbow, Dio or Yngwie Malmsteen. In other tracks (“The Watcher”) there are hints of progressive metal, where the band seek more complex arrangements and flamboyant but really well-constructed solos in a way that reminded me of Evergrey or perhaps a less technical version of Symphony X.

You will recognize that the names dropped in the previous paragraph do not inhabit completely separated and incommunicado universes. Yet, their aesthetics are sufficiently distinct and distinctive to make it a challenge to blend them together without losing consistency and identity. Nocturnal Rites achieve this with ease. The shifts in tempos and melodic tones that occur across the album’s 10 songs feel natural and credible, and so does the contrast and alternation between dark and brighter moods that pervade the album. Vocalist Jonny Lindqvist plays a big role in this. His distinctive voice, powerful and gritty, yet greatly melodic and gifted with considerable range, ties the different styles and moods of the album together. He is equally at ease with dark, sinister melodic progressions as with more upbeat ones, providing the continuity needed to bridge them together. It is a bonus that the yin–yang approach in the songwriting and vocal delivery also fits nicely with the record’s theme of contrast between good and evil / day and night, as also illustrated on the album’s cover.

For all there is to like, I can't quite label this album as a masterpiece for three key reasons. First and foremost, the consistency in songwriting quality leaves something to be desired. While tracks like "Eyes of the Dead," "Invincible," "Underworld," "Faceless God," and "The Watcher" shine brilliantly, there's also a fair share of forgettable, filler-like material, especially in the album's first half. Second, despite the variation in styles and moods I mentioned earlier, the album fails to create a sense of development and progression throughout its tracklist. It appears that the guiding principle behind the tracklist was to alternate between fast and mid-tempo songs in sequence, which unfortunately leads to a sense of repetition over time. Lastly, the production quality falls somewhat short, particularly when compared to other records released around the same time in similar genres. The guitars are somewhat buried in the mix, overshadowed by the vocals and drums, resulting in a muddied and indistinct sound. The keyboards suffer a similar fate, which is regrettable since both these instruments typically provide the harmonic texture of the music. Unfortunately, the production relegates them to the background, creating a somewhat uninspiring, muffled wall-of-sound.

In summary, Shadowland is the classic album that I can play over and over in the course of a day, finding myself nodding pleasantly along with its main themes and melodies. However, each time I listen, I fall short of being fully immersed and truly captivated by it. There's nothing inherently bad here, although I might consider changing the production and mix if I had the opportunity. On the flip side, there's also nothing that reaches a truly transcendental level. It's simply good, solid dark melodic power metal, which sometimes is exactly what one needs to enjoy.