Review by Vladimir on July 23, 2023.

It’s time to bring back the Brazilian metal attack, because I’ll be taking a look at a black metal band Nocturnal Force from Curitiba, Paraná and their brand-new EP The Kingdom Of Hatred, released on July 12th, 2023. 

The EP begins with an instrumental ambient intro which from the very get-go provides a solid build up to what is coming next, while also setting the tone of the EP. As the second track 'Encantamentos Mórbidos' kicks in, we get the in-your-face tremolo black metal riffs with drums that switch between fast Darkthrone beats and mid-tempo drumming while the vocals are your traditional harsh and frostbitten screaming. On top of this, there are some symphonic and atmospheric bits with synths that appear on the third track 'Forças De Satã (Guerras Profanas)', which also throws in these occasional melodic guitar lines and guitar solos alongside thrashy riffs that altogether provide some different but interesting vibe. However, there are moments when the EP seems to stray off and lose track of itself, especially on tracks 'Necromancy' and 'Blackened Thrash Metal', which have a completely different sound production and deviates so much from the rest. Both of these tracks have a much more unpolished and raw sound compared to other songs, whereas 'Necromancy' also has a bit more synth sections than other songs. There are two instrumental tracks, 'Cryptic Invocatio' and 'Blackened Thrash Metal', both of which provide their own flavor, such as groovy riffs on 'Cryptic Invocatio'. The EP is pretty simple and straightforward when it comes to the overall execution from the band, with dynamic but generally unexaggerated songwriting which contains some thrashy and groovy elements alongside your usual black metal. I personally think that the music on this EP is solid, but not strong enough for me to grasp its riffs or entire songs, despite how hard they try to do their best. That’s not to say it’s bad or terrible, far from it, but the songs don’t really provide anything that could stand out or create some personal attachment with the listener and the music. As I mentioned, the sound production differs on some songs drastically from the rest, which I must admit confused me because it deviates so much. I honestly think that these songs would have worked better as bonus tracks, because they just feel like they don’t fit with the rest or that they were probably rushed and the band had no time to re-record or mix and master them. Something that I can’t wrap my head around is the title for the final track 'Blackened Thrash Metal', because I honestly don’t understand the use of such an uninspired and non-creative name for a song. Could it be that the band were out of ideas or was it a placeholder name for the song that simply ended up being used in the end. 

Personally, this EP isn’t anything special, but overall, it was an alright listening experience and it didn’t hurt that I gave it a chance. I am not sure if I could add anything else other than to suggest that you check it out if you’re curious to know what it is, especially if you came across this band on social media by any chance. 

Rating: 7 out of 10

Review by Carl on January 3, 2022.

It would be an understatement to say that Obtruncation has seen their share of bad luck throughout the years. They recorded their first full length in 1995, only to see it released in 1998. After that, there followed a silence that lasted until the release of this album in 2014, only to lose their drummer Martin in 2017 (RIP). Everything seems to be silent since then, unfortunately. It's a shame that a band this talented had to endure these setbacks. A fact made all the more clear listening to the music on this album.

On this album the band continues where they left off on their debut album. Death metal in the vein of like minded acts such as Azarath, Morbid Angel, Nox and Diabolic collides with thrash metal as it is played by acts like Dead Head, Radiathor and Dark Angel, but there are also influences of others, such as "Human" era Death, Slayer and Sinister. The tempo is kept high for most of the album, and the band showcases musicianship that is a very good deal above par. The riffing is intricate and the lead work is searing, with the spirit of Trey Azagthoth never being far away. The individual songs are bursting with different riffs, breaks and tempo changes, and the level of energy is high throughout the runtime of this album. It took me a few listens to get to the heart of the matter, because there is so much happening. Still, and this must be said, it never deteriorates into a chaotic mess or does it become unlistenable, the band keeps it fierce and on point for the complete duration of the album. This picture of technical yet remorselessly aggressive death metal is completed by the awesome vocals. Singer Anton uses different techniques with his voice, and in doing so successfully builds in a lot of variation with this. From barked growls, hoarse grunts and snarled screams, that sound like the phlegm is actually hitting my eardrum, it all comes roaring by, complementing the intense music and adding even more suspense to the complete picture. The production sounds contemporary and modern, but does so without veering into synthetic sounding and overly digital territory. Everything the musicians play can be clearly discerned, while the music is still able to breathe.

As stated earlier, it will probably take a few spins to really "get" the album, but the more you listen, the better this gets. The music is technical, but never loses itself in pointless wankery, staying brutal and aggressive, and thanks to the excellent production, it all stays energetic and powerful.

If you like bands such as Centurian, Angelcorpse, Chaos Inception, Brazil's Abhorrence and those mentioned earlier, you will find much to your liking on this great album. If you are a fan of well played high speed death metal, you can't afford to miss this one.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10