“Music for night hours and sanguine addictions”  

I’ll be honest those words send shivers down my spine for all the wrong reasons. I spent some time amongst the Vampire fans of London in the 90’s in the middle of the Anne Rice inspired craze and it put me off the toothy terrors. It was a little wafty pretentious for even me.  

However, I am now older and wiser and with more of a forgiving (read less judgemental) bent and it is with these mature ears that I invite “Light of the Morning Star” over the threshold. Whether I offer the twosome of O-A and JSM my neck shall be seen. (warning, I am a vegan diabetic so my blood is likely to taste like sweetened carrot juice).  I even listened to Type O’s Bloody Kisses for the first time the whole way through to get me in the groove.  So now I am in the correct bloody, goth metal frame of mind let’s see what if Charnel Noir is a Halloween treat?  

Kicking off with the title track its pretty bog-standard euro goth metal (from Londoners take that Brexitters). Vocals are drowned by bombastic timpani and a mid-paced but nicely plodding riff. The vocals have the refined Count about town beloved by so many of the Nightbreed releases of the 90’s. There is a whiff of HIM about Light of the Morning Star which is not a bad thing.  Despite its derivative nature I find myself grooving along.  “Our Night Hours” which follows next is disappointing in comparison. The melody is dull and the song takes a backstep to the pedestrian vampy lyrics. “Ghost Moon” continues in the same vein, this time elements are chopped and changed in a collage that threatens some interesting sections but swerves away down a different path as I begin to enjoy it. The feel so far is one of confusion – could this be the ploy? To disorientate the victim before pouncing. I truly hope so. 

“Hymn in Hemlock“ feels more complete. The production is a little washy but that gives a nice spooky air. The clean sung melodic chorus is catchy and has an air of old PL about it. The song is given space giving the vocals a gravitas that was missing in the couple of tracks before. This is proper goth metal – velvet and candles and cheap red wine. Lovely.  

Things get a little more metallic with “Lid of a Casket”. Hints of a Cradle of Filth riff in there at the beginning and a mix of whispered and baritone vocals. Sure, it’s a little Addams Family but it’s fiendish fun.  The chorus of “Caskets, Caskets” is catchy and kitschy at the same time which is always good. It ends with a nice stab of gothic drama which is always a plus – gives you summat to swish your cape to.  

The drama continues as echoey toms announce “There Are Many Shadows” (are these titles of Goosebumps novels?). The more metallic ambience remains and for the first time a discernible bassline emerges out of the gloom and it’s a good un. Proper capital G Goth.  This is a graveyard groover. A slow dance at midnight. I feel seduced by these ghoulish chaps at last.  

Tempo is upped greatly as we follow “The Endless Procession of the Guillotine”. The vocals seem to ripple in and out like the ebb and flow of French aristos jugulars under Robespierre’s gaze. It is a short trip of only 3 mins to the steps of the deadly Madame but an enjoyable one. A gloomy trudge to death rather than a cart ride past a baying crowd.  

As we near the end of our sepulchral sashay “Spectres” reach out to tickle my beard. Solid riff, use of keys and a gruff deep throated chorus this is something to sup a purple witch/nasty to (one for us old Goffs there). Hand shapes could be thrown to this little ditty. “They come through the fog. They come through the rain” Yeah I love a bit of weather-related tomfoolery.  These guys are Michael Fishing for compliments now.  

“Fangs in the Tree of Life” is that a Stevie Wonder pun to end the album?  Well, there is no undead reworking of Sir Duke. Rather another darkly alluring romantic composition. Not as catchy as the coven of tracks that came before it but chock full of brooding Hammeresque atmosphere.  A fitting end to an enjoyable trip with “The Light of the Morning Star”.  

Overall Charnel Noir is a pomped up, preening, masquerade ball of an album. A little on the nose at times but with more jugular hits than stakes to the heart.  

(7/10 Matt Mason)

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https://lightofthemorningstar.bandcamp.com/album/charnel-noir