It’s amazing how bands can grow and change depending on the members involved. French Metal band Nightmare are a great example, their humble NWOBHM-style roots way back on their 1984 debut a distant memory (as with a healthy amount of previous band members…) and here in 2020 they are carving themselves a unique musical niche, utilizing all the years experience from the people involved in the band, a line-up that allows them to push their sound so much further than they surely could have envisaged 10 years ago, let alone 35 years ago!
The shift away from male vocals with the introduction of Magali Luyten on 2016’s “Dead Sun” was an important catalyst for the musical territory the band now find themselves in, but the addition of new vocalist Madie seems to have pushed their vision even further. Nightmare are no longer a band trying this style on for size, they’ve had their own jackets made and are filling them out proudly. The energy and power that the band exude was always there on recent releases, but blending them with melody whilst still keeping up the intensity is now second nature it would seem. New drummer Niels Quiais (the second new addition to the line-up since “Dead Sun”) steers every song from the back with technicality and power, leaving the rest of the band to work their magic in front – the guitars taking the starring role in the music, bombarding the listener fabulously with riffs and lead, giving the vocals room to shine when needed, yet totally driving forward once more when called upon – a fine balance.
There’s no denying that Madie is a real find though, she has the perfect voice and delivery for this style – diverse, powerful, dynamic and intense, she’s certainly the focal point for many of the songs, carrying every vocal line, harmony and melody superbly, adding personal touches that lift each track just that bit higher. All together, The Chastain/Leather Leone with hints of Battle Beast comparisons are still occasionally evident as they were on “Dead Sun”, but this time they are mixed with an Unleash The Archers, Triosphere, Frozen Crown Power/Speed/Heavy Metal approach that gives Nightmare their own identity as well as allowing them to tap into the fan bases of those kind of bands. Yes “Dead Sun” showed promise, but “Aeternam” absolutely delivers on it!
(9/10 Andy Barker)
Leave a Reply