MOMM (55)

I really thought Blake Judd would have ceased his Nachmystium act following the scandalous merchandise episode but giving up the passion for music is downright difficult. We accept Mr. Judd for who he is first & foremost; a rather imposing figure in (US) black metal. Blight Privilege contains materials which are rather doom / stoner induced but in a positive take, of course. Mr. Judd also revisited his psychedelic meddling on some instances but not as dedicated as Assassin (Part 1). Mid-tempo adventure for the most part, folks, be informed but a credible return to form.

Depeche Mode - I'm revisiting albums by my favourite bands which are less popular or well received by the laypeople. Delta Machine contains virtually no stalwart hits, I purchased this pre-owned copy just listen to the broader appeal from the trio.

Nachtmystium: The World We Left Behind

This is Blake Judd's farewell gift to the world. To begin with, I'd say it's a deserving conclusion. After his latest conviction, he's spending time with family. On a personal note, this implies the coming of age- when you hit rock bottom in life, family time is the way to go. 

I'm not one to glorify substance abuse & hedonism but The World We Left Behind is, upon close listening, a reflection of an individual's life journey; an an honest account quite devoid of material worship. I was expecting an Instinct: Decay conclusion because The Silencing Machine went that way despite the successful psychedelia of Assasins & Addicts. To put it simply, TWWLB is an intelligent brew of the traditional & psychedelic, perhaps it's Judd's best effort in terms of musicianship. I'm also giving it a thumbs up in terms of production. There is ample gloss to mark quality & that signature lo-fi black metal livery is present but in trickle amounts. While tracks such as Fireheart & Voyager invokes the essence of Darkthrone & Burzum respectively, the rest of TWWLB are Nachtmystium's own. Yes, they sound familiar because they are treading the black metal path, just like jazz album sounding jazzy- there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. 

It is fair to hope that Blake Judd would muster enough sense along the way to revive Nachtmystium should the situations permit. I consider them to be an essential USBM establishment, people with enough courage to look away from the hype while dwelling on grounds that do not pave way for fertile development.

Nachtmystium: Doomsday Derelicts

We often go European for our black metal ear fodder, lest we forget, the scene is quite happening across the pond as well- that's the USA to the rest of us. Nachtmystium, who turned heads with their recent release, Assassins (Black Meddle Part 1), is now back with an mcd aptly titled, Doomsday Derelict.

Despite having only 4 songs on the list, I have to say these are some of the most accomplished the band has to offer. Bones (1)/ Pitch Black Cadence(4) are essential BM listenings while Life of Fire (2) & Hellish Overdose (3) remind us all of the band's recent psychedelic trip which was impressive to say the least. Some bands simply do not lose their touch while having their feet planted on other turfs of the genre. Nachtmystium is such a band.

Nachtmystium: Assassins

This is a great segue release by the American black metal band Nachtmystium, featuring the drum stalwart Tony Laureano (Angel Corpse/ Ex-Nile/ live Dimmu Borgir...). The devoted BM acts from the states are truly numbered, Nachtmystium has proven, with Assassins, that capacity speaks. The band's 2006 release Instinct: Decay saw them in the top 20 Euro BM charts at the turn of that year, this time, the band would prove to be another formidable act to beat.

However, be informed that Assassins is the band's incorporation of the doom genre but done very tastefully & would well see more fans in the camp.