Review by Alex on September 12, 2019.

Been a supporter of Hungary's Tyrant Goatgaldrakona since finding out about their 2013 debut full length Horns in the Dark. That record aged beautifully, I could pit it against current remarkable albums, and it would emerge victorious. The presence Horns in the Dark creates is truly hostile, it’s a record you need to hear if warlike black/death metal is your tune. An EP followed 2 years later that aroused the same feeling Horns in the Dark did and that was about all I had heard from the 2 piece since. Four years later we get yet another short menacing EP titled Marquis of Evil. Two songs of more tyranny from the unit, utter darkness, violence and chaos smears the arena, another miasma of desolation is set to radiate from Hungarian shores through Blood Harvest Records on October 25th, 2019 this time through ‘Conspiracy with Marquis’ and ‘The Seventh Throne’. 

This is the same band I am familiar with that is now getting the recognition they deserve; these two tracks bring the fury Tyrant Goatgaldrakona is known for but also an air of doom encircles the recordings to smear the carnage of the assault. All that you know the band for is active; frenetic guitar work, woe-full death metal growls and blast beats knocking to the trumpet of tyranny. If this is a warm-up or a taste of full-length material soon to come, then arses be lit on fire, and dance to the glory of the unholy that awaits. And that artwork, oh my, excellently sums-up the omens to be heard. What a treat to have after such a long time; they have come quite a distance since their 2010 debut EP Sign off Moloch, and it’s a joy to know they are in league with Blood Harvest Records. Marquis of Evil will have to do until more tyranny comes along, but I can tell you this, it’s getting ever so hard to withstand my restlessness.  

It's good to know one of my favorite underground extreme metal bands are at work and are strengthening the still growing Hungarian metal environment. Tyrant Goatgaldrakona are for me among the front runners of Hungarian underground extremism though just being at the beginning of their climb. Don't pass-up Marquis of Evil get it on vinyl and what other available formats it's on.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by Felix on November 3, 2019.

Among all the various variations of metallic music, black thrash plays the role of the naughty child. Totally ill-mannered behavior that is fed by dirty F.O.A.D.-attitude is almost the most important prerequisite in order to pen a strong work of this genre. But even if it sounds nearly unduly academic, competent song-writing is of high relevance as well. Many bands, regardless of their style, rely on only one composer and that’s always somehow sad. It mostly feels that we do not get the entire creativity of these formations. Thus, it is great that Nocturnal Breed return with an album that presents songs of each and every band member. Naturally, this is no end in itself, but the tracks of the both casually and aptly titled We Only Came for the Violence illustrate that this approach can result in a lively, dynamic and varied full-length. Good teamwork, no doubt at all.

Nocturnal Breed know the importance of high velocity and so they throw a couple of rapid outbursts into the crowd, but they also like mid-tempo tracks with insidious riffing and vocals that convey not only a hinge of insanity. “Sharks of the Wehrmacht” (written by S.A. Destroyer) is a jewel that showcases the aforementioned features in a very good way. On the other hand, relentless high-speed eruptions like the ingenious “Limbs of Gehenna” or the equally frenetic and unbeatable “Nekrohagel” (both written by T. Terror) are aligned with the dogma of the debut of a once great formation; they show no mercy. Between these poles one finds many bastards, for example “War-Metal Engine” (S.A. Destroyer). It combines impulsive, fast-paced verses with a stomping, very catchy chorus which seems to originate from the archives of a traditional Teutonic formation. “Bless the Whore” (I.Maztor) is a representative of the art of wicked, fast riffing and V. Fineideath contributes the rolling guitar sounds of “Frozen to the Cross”, a song that picks up the formula and the drive of the highlights of Darkthrone’s “Ravishing Grimness”.

The greatest surprise of this work is “Can’t Hold Back the Night”, another track written by S.A. Destroyer. Its name could be stolen from some hair metal posers, but don’t jump to conclusions. This is a meticulously designed piece that houses both pretty melodic sections and a bittersweet, pummeling chorus whose urine marks its territory impressively. Indeed, Nocturnal Breed show the world that even the stubborn and narrow-minded subgenre leaves much room for different approaches and by the way, they also prove their good taste. The guys cover “Desecrator” of Storm and the swirling guitars of this nasty piece of metal lead to a perfect match with their own material. In view of so many direct hits and a playtime of almost 50 minutes, an exorbitant length in this genre, we can neglect the fact that two or three tracks cannot fully keep up the momentum. Yet this does not mean that they fall through the net. For example, the stoic lines of “A Million Miles of Trench” (T. Terror) have their charm and constitute a good closer (but not an outstanding one). Even the title track which suffers from a rather stale riffing at the beginning turns out to a solid mid-paced number.

In view of the varied song-writing one might have doubts whether this is still a homogeneous work. Rest assured, Nocturnal Breed’s songs have a common denominator. The album exudes vileness from the beginning to the end and the freaky, yet malicious vocals of S.A. Destroyer are a second reliable element. The production, to lose some words about it as well, delivers the necessary amount of pressure and puts the focus rather on clarity than on a somewhat rancid, genre-typical appearance. Either way, the songs shine in full bloom and so even an old German grouch like me has nothing to grumble. Shit! However, what’s bad for me might be good for you. Show your friends that your musical taste is better than theirs and get We Only Came for the Violence – the sooner the better. Guess you will enjoy it. Otherwise the Nekrohagel will come over you.

Rating: 9 out of 10