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Nahash > Nocticula Hecate > Reviews
Nahash - Nocticula Hecate

Grey and sad... - 80%

Tyranor, March 5th, 2005

The first and the only demo of this great Lithuanian band showing early attempts to create unique atmosphere of moody emotions. Funeral soaked four lengthy songs will take listener to desolated planes of solitude and death where the night mistress Hecate is your only companion.
This demo starts with slow and mournful intro played by organ. It’s minor mood sets the right atmosphere for what is coming next. First song Eko Azarak starts on the fast paste of pre-verse and verse riffs. After few moments in total contrast pre-chorus riffs slows down and almost stops. Seems like you start to wander under the cloudy night. The haunted vocals perfectly emphasizes the overall feeling. Slightly distant and strongly reverberating. Unique in some way. Clear enough so the spoken words can be distinguished with ease. Now the solo comes in (yes, indeed are few of them here). Well, this is perhaps the weakest nuance of this record. Mostly it sounds incoherent but not irrelevant. It has no proper structure and sound just too primitive. However it would give a great efficiency if it would be done by more professional player.
Now comes the title song Nocticula Hecate. The longest yet the most interesting and entertaining song. Brooding, complex and dark. Perhaps standout track of this demo. Like ominous shadows those melodies will slowly chase you during all its length.
Sabalyas is the third song. Solo comes here almost in the beginning and after then song rushes into savage trip. Again complex and atonal in its structure.
The last comes Thunor. Very epic song and a great closer will not let to get bored. Sensual, melancholic and romantic in some way. Fading out and
leaving listener alone again with silence.
The songs are based on binary construction. In some ways it reminds Death's "Symbolic" behavior (structure-wise, not music of course).
Speaking about production it doesn’t have too much flaws. Nothing generally will spoil overall view here except for the drums. They are to much reverberated and some what unexpressive (don't find another proper explanation). Very raspy and fuzzy but clear enough guitar sound for some people may appear harassing for some pleasant but in fact it complements the atmosphere of this music.
As for influences there slightly noticeable nordic shcool and also early sound of Necromantia, Rotting Christ and even Samael. Anyway music of this demo is not so much derivative and has feeling of its own showing honest and artistic thinking.
Indeed a good effort.