Saturday, June 15, 2013

one-person black metal: Nocturne(U.S.): "Ave Noctem"

one-person black metal: Nocturne(U.S.): "Ave Noctem"
A person reportedly named Dan Klein (if that is a real name), who is said to be from Chicago (if that is a real place), seemingly plays all the instruments on this album.
(including real drums? not programmed drums?)
"So, this is 'bedroom black metal with a very garage sound'"?-- someone might ask.
Well, well, well, actually....no!!
Mr. Klein sounds like a band. I thought this was a band, and then I noticed that it is one person.
Whoah! That's a great success!
The sound, I would say, is a prog, slightly dissonant, distant, unmelodic black metal. The sound quality is not "big-time metal," but it is pretty decent, and pretty clear in a black metal context.
I have listened to this album a lot. I have concluded that Mr. Klein is a dedicated and talented person, and I'm sure, I know!, this was no one-week endeavor.
So, with that, I hate to say the following, because it will sound that I am nonchalantly, and light-mindedly dismissing Nocturne.
But I am not. I have truly listened to this and I appreciate the effort.
But I have to say that, even after repeated listens for weeks on end, these songs have not excited me. To my ears, something is missing. What's missing?
I think everything about the album is good.
However, I think I would have appreciated more direct riffs. There's no need to change the style, but all the riffs keep my understanding at a distance, and it is necessary to incorporate some hooks, or other things.
More hooks.
Solos, maybe?
more melody?
more change between midtempo and fast?
Maybe a bit of all those things. But, more than anything, how about throwing a few hooks my way?
I'm not a musician and I don't listen to music for musicians.
I like metal; metal for normal, people-on-the-street metal.
Mr. Klein,
Good work, love the effort!
Maybe you want to throw us a few more hooks our way?
We need something to headbang, something to remember, something to rock, or at least to nod along.
Sincerely,
A person with no musical talent whatsoever.
www.facebook.com/NocturneChicago

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