Noctem - Divinity (2009)

01. Atlas Death
02. In The Path Of Heleim
03. Realms In Decay
04. The Sanctuary
05. The Call Of Oricalco's Horn
06. Across Heracles Towards
07. In The Aeons Of Time
08. Necropolis Of Esthar's Ruins
09. Divinity
10. Religious Plagues
11. Under Seas Of Silence

Beleth - Vocals
Exo - Guitars
Alasthor - Guitar
UI - Bass
Darko - Drums

Gästar på skivan gör Christos Antoniou från Septic Flesh och Leal från Forever Slave.

Ett av årets brutalaste musikaliska upplevelse får man om man lyssnar till spanska bandet Noctem och deras senaste bidrag till brutalmetallen. 11 spår kaotisk black/death av högsta kvalitet. Det är tekniskt, det är brutalt, det går snabbt, det är melodiöst. Det är enkelt, det blir komplicerat. Det lugnar ner sig och det trycker ner dig. Behemoth se upp, nu jävlar får ni konkurrens!

Beleth bevisar att han är en sångare att räkna med. Allt från grisiga dödsgrowl modell värre till gothiska stridstjut. Strängbändarna varierar snabbt råmangel med melodiösa och tekniska partier. Allt med taktfast och lekfullt trummande av Darko i bakgrunden.
Noctem har med Divinity satt spanien på kartan och skivan är ett måste om man inte är en patetisk looser.

Som grädde på moset fick jag även chansen att göra en intervju med Exo i bandet:

How would you describe Noctem?
A strong war machine that will destroy all the stages and arenas in its wake. It consists of 5 demons giving from their dark hearts.

There..s been a few changes in the line-up. Do you feel that Noctem have a stable and strong line-up now? Yes! Presenting our last mcd "God among slaves" we found a really strong line-up, that have a clear goal, knowing how to reach it, living on the road.

Are you educated musicians?
Well, some of us. In my particular case, I grew up like a musician studying and taking lessons in a guitar academy for 3 or 4 years, after that I became autodidact, and when you have a strong base, this really works..

You have been doing alot of touring. How is the response on your shows, and how is the life on the road?
It's being really great man! A lot of people know the lyrics of the songs and the audience is very sick, that's good because life on the road is hard, day by day with the same guys, we're like brothers you know, united by the same goal.

You seem to know exactly what you want to do with Noctem. Do you reach your goals, or does the struggle continue?
Now we're working very hard; having the same goal you can reach whatever you fucking want, and we have the same objective with the band,this is the most important.

Divinity seems to get positive response all over the internet. Are you happy with the album or is there something you would change if you had the chance?
I wouldn't change nothing from this album, it's really great having this good and positive response from all the metal press, but whatever the others say, the sound of our albums change suffering a natural evolution, not in a forced way.


Noctem

Divinity tells the story about Atlantis. How did that idea come up?
Beleth writes the lyrics. In this case, he really was looking for a kind of not typical thematic for the lyrics of the album, so Atlantis is a concept very epic, like our music, I really love this kind of epic and storic stories; for this reason, "Divinity" is the first part of a trilogy.

Now, this is interesting! So there will be two more albums to follow up Divinity. Will you start working on the next one after your two years of touring?
We have ideas now, but we want to take time for composing because our second album has to destroy "Divinity" in 1000 pieces.

What are your influenses? Any bands or people?
We're constantly influenced by metal, because metal has to flow though our minds and hearts.
I can tell you bands like Cannibal Corpse, Behemoth, Slayer, The Black Dahlia Murder...

Divinity was released by Noisehead. Are you happy with the collaboration and will you release future records with the label? We're very satisfied with the production of the album, and now everything is going fucking good, but you never know which will be the next step until its really clear.

The scene in spain, great or sucks big time?
Our national scene sucked for a long time, but now is growing up with very good and strong bands, good mates of us, with different bands like Dawn of Tears, Far n hate, In Mute, The Band Apart... and many more, I think the metal scene in Spain looks very promising.

The scene in general, what do you think of i today? Better now or back when it was all underground?
I think metal now can be in one of its best moments, and specifically the death metal scene, we're living a rebirth of the dirty stuff, the "old" and really great music, and people can say whatever, but for me this is going to be fucking awesome.

How does the future looks for Noctem?
On the road, touring and touring, day by day, presenting the album in all the countries were we have the possibility to do it, in a brutal and intense way, for aproximately 2 years. So we will give war for a long time!!!

Some last words?
We're waiting for you dead warriors, we're going to destroy your cities burning the road so join us metalheads!!! Metal till death!!!

A big thanx goes to Exo and Noctem for the interview.

http://www.myspace.com/noctemofficial