ALBUM REVIEW: Return From The Point Of No Return – Nightstalker

March 16, 2025 Tim Bolitho-Jones

Greek lads NIGHTSTALKER aren’t especially well known around these parts, but they’re a cult act in their home country and have forged quite a career for themselves. Their origins date all the way back to 1989 and they’ve got a decent discography behind them, but still have a hefty amount of fire in their bellies. And if the psychedelic meanderings and fuzzed up grooves of Return From The Point Of No Return are any indication, they’ve eaten so much chilli that they’re starting to hallucinate.

This is their seventh full-length and while they tend to reject the stoner metal tag, it’s hard to think of anything more apt. This is big riff, old school metal and it wouldn’t be surprising if NIGHTSTALKER haven’t listened to anything new since ELECTRIC WIZARD released Dopethrone. Singer Argy Galiatsatos has more than a hint of Ozzy in his voice, there’s a laidback vibe and if their wardrobes aren’t fully of paisley-patterned clothing, we’ll slice our own fingertips off in a freak sheet metal machinery accident and start our own music genre.

Thankfully, while there’s a distinct retro vibe here, Return From The Point Of No Return isn’t just hero worship. The four-piece have a keen understanding of album dynamics, and their songwriting is strong enough that the whole thing flies by. It’s consistently entertaining from start to finish and feels shamelessly authentic; the likes of Dust and Shipwrecked Powder Monkey are enthralling rock songs with a surprising amount of hooks, and they’re tactile enough that you can almost feel the sand blowing past.

Plus, NIGHTSTALKER save one of their best tracks until later in the runtime. There’s some great material in the first half, with the Planet Caravan-isms of Heavy Tripping being especially good, but then Shallow Grave hits. It starts off at a measured pace and is very stripped back, but then it starts to build and explodes into life with a huge chorus. It’s irresistibly catchy, is full of bluesy guitar work and is one of the most charismatic stoner songs of the last three months. It has the potential to be a cornerstone of their live shows and could even be a crossover hit if the stars align.

It’s not a flawless record, but despite the closing Flying Mode being too retro for its own good, Return From The Point Of No Return is a highly enjoyable way to spend forty minutes. Whether it’ll see NIGHTSTALKER make some waves in the English-speaking world is another matter, but given that they’re already in their third decade, they probably don’t care about global success so much as kicking out the jams. If you’ve just picked up a fresh copy of Frank Herbert’s DUNE and want something to soundtrack all the spicy worm-based shenanigans, this might do the trick. Maybe, none of us have read DUNE. But this is a great album all the same.

Rating: 7/10