Artist: Nightspell
Title: Darkness Spreads Around
Type: EP
Label: Digital / Canti Eretici
I wish I could say that I had been aware of Kyiv based Nightspell since their demo last year but, nope, it was this second EP I noticed and gave it a listen first knowing very little indeed. Which is always fun if I’m honest even if it turns out to be not for you. This however…
Well the intro with its harpsichord, medieval sound and almost jaunty sound grabbed me immediately. A nice, atmosphere setting that suggests a nice aptitude for dungeon synth if they ever choose to, but ‘Endless War’ obliterates that. The guitar sound is fantastic and the vocals excellent. This is moody, dark and deeply atmospheric black metal. I get a little of the sound I often associate with Finland here; the kind of sway and ebb and flow that still manages to grip tightly the aggression. The sound is spot on too; raw enough to have that bite but any black metal fan worth their salt will find melody aplenty here. There is a strong dark medieval feel to this, darkness over the land, evil abroad… Fantastic opener.
‘Cold Ground’ has a fair bit of that Sargeist sound where the relentless drive of the song is at a seeming contrast to the almost graceful turn of the melody. But here we also get clean singing which deepens the atmosphere: The storm of the drums and riff continue but their presence opens it almost into an epic landscape. There is a sense of sadness here too, of determination but staring at the grim world around.
‘Thirst For Blood’ opens with fine bit of black ‘n’ roll to the riff, early Slegest style perhaps. It surges, it speeds and is an absolutely cracking storm of a song. Nightspell have an uncanny, instinctive grasp of directing the barrelling speed of a song through twists and turns and still retaining the not just the power but a sense of the raging storm driving it. Just a fine, howling snowstorm of a black metal song. Just traps you and blows you apart.
‘Green Knight’ is an interesting choice for a black metal song, usually the realms of folk or bands like the mighty Green Lung but this is as black metal as it comes. Fast hammer blows on the drums, speeding riff, direct and right in the teeth… and the clean vocals once more! They steer it into a deep melodic hook and the snarling voice hauls it back out and into the violence. No respite, no quarter, enter their land at your peril.
This closes with ‘Ritual’. The riff pulses and pounds and the eerie melody weaves around it as the vocal snarl. There is another huge hook to this riff as it turns into the refrain and then pounds its way out black ‘n’ roll tinged style. An perfgect way to leave us here; get the blood pumping, the fist clenching and the throat raw with screaming and leave me want so much more.
If like me this is your first meeting with Nightspell, then I can only encourage you to join in this dance now. The music is wild black metal; fierce and proud and red in tooth and claw. The weaving in of a little black ‘n’ roll style at the perfect moments, the artful haunting melodies, the beautifully judged use of clean vocals without stepping away from the black heart of the band just showcase the vision and the talent in the violent and restless soul of the music.
Just… just a dark and vibrant storm of exceptional black metal
Gizmo
Darkness Spreads Around | Nightspell (artist page for digital)
Darkness Spreads Around | Nightspell | Canti Eretici (tapes)
Walking The Liminal Space 