Nightfall are without doubt an interesting band but with one big Achilles heel. Their gothic doom meets melodic death metal has been evolving over the past twenty years with other styles and influences in between. Too many to mention at this point but suffice to say on the two latest releases they’ve arrived at a slick, bombastic, blackened death metal sound that is proving to be a very successful formula. First of all I should say that Cassiopeia is one of the most powerful albums released by the the Greek metal veterans to date. More polished than older fans might be used to but no worse off for it in my opinion. Their biggest problem is that they can’t seem to avoid attracting comparisons with one of Greece’s best extreme metal exports and they’ve not exactly tried to turn their backs on that comparison stylistically. But, to these ears at least, very few bands around today match the progressive intensity of Rotting Christ and that goes for Nightfall too. You could probably throw the heavier and perhaps more consistent Septic Flesh into that as well leaving Nightfall third in this great Greek triumvirate.
But, taken on their own merits, they are a fine band and Nightfall’s back catalogue is well worth a look. And don’t be put off too easily by the oddities that lie therein (I mean, maybe I’m missing something, but who would call an album ‘Lesbian Show’ and expect to get away with it??). 2003’s I am Jesus saw the band begin to depart from the mid-career gothic rock sound and into a more blackened, melodic death metal-edged band by 2010’s Astron Black And The Thirty Tyrants.
Cassiopeia for me is pretty much a continuation of the last album’s sound and I’d go so far as to say the two releases are almost interchangeable in that respect. The eastern chords and symphonic style will be as exhilarating here as they were to fans of Astron…. At its best Cassiopeia hints at the greatness of its country fellows like on Hubris which is like a hybrid Rotting Christ meets Hollenthon. The riffs are huge, the sound is even bigger and there aren’t really any weak links in here. It may lack some of the quirkiness of some of their earlier albums (perhaps, dare I say, following their signing to Metal Blade for the previous album). This is more direct and less challenging on some levels than it could have been given what they’ve done in the past.
But that’s a petty gripe for such a great release. The more focused, less experimental approach is producing a much more consistent quality in their output. Nightfall have really hit their stride with Cassiopeia and it is something close to a career high even on the back of such a great reception for Astron…. Keep going forward, keep evolving and keep snapping at those heels because this is a big step forward and who knows where it might lead.
(8.5/10 Reverend Darkstanley)
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