ALBUM REVIEW: Paradox – Nocturnus A.D.
When a band is revived, it’s always difficult for them to know what to do: do you carry on as you would were you a band the entire time you were absent and continue to try new things, or do you rest on the laurels of past successes and aim to please as many fans as possible? Attempting to do bot is the riskiest path to explore – you may reap all the glories, or fail in both camps. It’s an undesirable task for anyone, and is made all the more difficult when the band’s obscurity, as is the case with NOCTURNUS, is paramount to their cult-success. NOCTURNUS A.D. is formed from the ashes of the Tampa heroes by founding member Mike Browning. Following his brief tenure with, and forcible departure from, MORBID ANGEL, Browning set about putting together his own project. He only appeared on infamous demo album Abominations Of Desolation before his departure, but it was clear that next time around he wanted prime position as leader of his outfit.
Taking on the unconventional role of drummer/vocalist, he spearheaded the creation of the 1990 progressive death metal classic The Key. A wildly unique concept album which dealt with bolt the occult and sci-fi t told the story of a cyborg who travelled back to 0 B.C. in order to execute Jesus Christ. It’s hard to imagine a more niche product, but it won acclaim from all corners of extreme metal and is upheld as an essential, influence staple of all experimental death metal. On the 1992 follow-up Thresholds, Browning’s role shrank as he was assigned to solely drums, replaced vocally by Dan Izzo, who boasted a far more guttural and ultimately less characterful style. This is commonly viewed as the final great NOCTURNUS affair, as 1999’s Ethereal Tomb was an utterly lifeless piece made worse by the total lack of Mike Browning, who was fired 6 years earlier.
Now, with members of his current band AFTER DEATH, Browning has revived NOCTURNUS as NOCTURNUS A.D. to release the thematic follow-up to that original 1990 masterpiece, entitled Paradox. This all raises many questions. Why with these people? Why after so long? Why now? Why ever?
Quite simply, there is no good explanation; the story outlined on The Key was as complete as it needed to be and didn’t live fans begging for answers – they were simply distracted by the dizzying musicianship. However, this is somewhat irrelevant; it’s an idea which is likely to satisfy long-time fans and, if even only for a brief time, that seems good enough reason for anyone.
There’s a great deal for fans to enjoy here. Technically, NOCTURNUS A.D. are all on as good form as ever. Browning was never the finest vocalist but his character carried him through, and that has only grown over the years. His conviction is utterly undeniable, and when it’s backed by a tight selection of musicians boasting a fine chemistry, there’s little to complain about. Furthermore, the album successfully continues a 30-year-old story, following on from the events laid out on The Key. Paradox can be enjoyed without attention being paid to the concept, but it’s a nice addition to those with an eager ear.
What is abundantly clear is that a great deal has been done to replicate that original style; the band clearly show no interest for the evolution in the world of synthesizers as they continue to employ dated but charming Casio chamber-synth. Furthermore, compositionally Paradox is remarkably similar to its spiritual predecessor – all the tracks are turbulent symphonies of death metal which stretch from 5 to 8 minutes, often without a discernible hook. There are some key updates however. Notably, the production is far more crisp and punchy this time around, the muddy, pummelling production of old-school death metal instead traded for a sharp, sleek modern take. It may sound like a curious meeting of opposing ideals at first, but once one adjusts to the changes it becomes common-place, and to have not updated the sound in this regard would have certainly led to accusations of regression.
It’s not quite enough though. While it is clear NOCTURNUS A.D. want to enjoy the nostalgia aspect of their work, it sometimes clashes with how pivotal and significant this band were in terms of experimentation and progression. The band have gone back nearly 30 years to complete a story which demanded no such ending, but then insist on making movements into the future. It’s a confusing clash of ideals which ultimately leaves the band a little lost.
In extreme metal, there have been successful examples of comebacks which have revelled both in harking back and progressing: AT THE GATES have released two albums since their return in 2013, and each has very distinctly called upon a specific era of theirs – At War With Reality is directly influenced by their magnum opus, Slaughter Of The Soul, whereas To Drink From The Night Itself clearly derives a great deal from the cult-favourite debut The Red In The Sky Is Ours. Conversely, when CARCASS released their astounding return Surgical Steel, it was clear that not only was this an album which could happily have been the natural follow-up to Heartwork, but it showed the group were still capable of producing music rich in cutting-edge extremity. NOCTURNUS A.D. fail to commit to either, and ultimately fall between the cracks.
To conclude, this is by no means a failure. Each member is on great form, and the story that was enjoyed by so many is finalised in a fitting and satisfying manner. In all likelihood, this is perhaps a The Force Awakens case – those who obsess over the original product will find more than enough to enjoy here, but those with a critical eye may struggle to wholly give themselves to it. Paradox is an acceptable addition to the story of NOCTURNUS, it’s just unlikely to threaten many of their contemporaries.
Rating: 6/10
Paradox is set for release May 24th via Profound Lore.
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