ALBUM REVIEW: Titan – Nocturnal Graves

Australian black/death/thrash metal has an incredible pedigree. From early innovators such as ARMOURED ANGEL and HOBBS ANGEL OF DEATH, to modern stalwarts such as DESTROYER 666, VOMITOR and GOSPEL OF THE HORNS the genre has produced some of the best extreme metal of the past three decades. NOCTURNAL GRAVES are a band that achieved underground notoriety with their demos before unleashing the incredible Satan’s Cross in 2007. A brief hiatus was broken in 2012 and with the addition of guitarist Shrapnel the band re-established themselves with …From The Bloodline Of Cain the following year, which proved that waiting until a record is ready to release leads it to be significantly more impressive. A culmination this old school attitudes towards releases, as well as a hard and fast attitude that extends beyond the music with no risk of being mistaken for mere posturing, mean that records from NOCTURNAL GRAVES have begun to garner deservedly high exceptions. Will third album Titan manage to deliver?

From the off it is clear that NOCTURNAL GRAVES have begun to refine their sound to even greater heights, with the production perfectly capturing the harsh edge while sacrificing none of the heaviness and extremity fans adored. Resistance is first up and shows the impressive scale of the band’s sound while managing to be punishingly brutal. A longer and mid paced track, it more than serves it purpose in wetting the appetite for the remainder of the album to follow.

And follow it does. Roar of the Wild may bear naming similarities to another Australian band’s EP from this year but far surpasses it in terms of extremity and complexity delivering a near frantic assault on the senses. Sure to be a feature of live sets for years to come. Ecdysis, Shedding Weak Flesh features an almost surprising quiet interlude and well as the striking tolling of a bell which perfectly contrast with the absolute crushing power of the guitar riffs deployed on it. The recruitment of guitarist Shrapnel since their reformation has led to nothing but an increase in the already plentiful hooks and riffs the band has on offer.

Soul Tribulation is as old school as it comes with another initially fast assault before slowing into a more mid paced track, demonstrating their ability to vary their pace to great effect. This continues into And Hell Followed Them until interrupted by a masterpiece of a guitar solo towards the end of the track. Bow Before None is one of the highlights of the album with both its perfectly fitting lyrics as well as the quality of both riffs and solos on offer. However the track truly shines due to the band bringing all of its elements together in some of the best songwriting on an album packed full of impressive arrangements.

Unfortunately for it, Silence the Martyrs has the job of following on from its predecessor. A shorter and more traditional song it’s by no means a weak track and a galloping fast riff towards the end certainly gets the blood flowing and will no doubt impress live. The albums closer and title track Titan lives up to its namesake as one of the more epic tracks, with an aura of scale across its length while pounding drums keep the aggressive attitude alive. It’s a strong end to a very strong album that will please fans of the band.

With Titan, NOCTURNAL GRAVES are well within their rights to consider themselves at the forefront of the Australian extreme metal scene. While other bands have recently released disappointments, broken up or ceased public activity, NOCTURNAL GRAVES have instead been building on their already impressive resume by creating another powerful release that will please fans of the genre and no doubt lead to greater things to come.

Rating: 9/10

Titan is set for release on May 18th via Season of Mist.

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