Nocturnal Fear - Metal of Honor

November 23, 2009

Reviewer: Peter

The thrash metal revival movement has been in full force for a few years now.  Unsurprisingly, there have been a number of new bands that try their best to recreate the heyday of thrash metal, some of them falling flat on their face.  The Michigan-based trio known as Nocturnal Fear has taken their stab at it, having released a few albums.  Their latest effort Metal of Honor is hit and miss in many cases, but they offer just enough to keep the listener interested through the first couple of listens.

Much of Nocturnal Fear’s style is centered on the theme of war.  The good news behind this is that the band actually plays to the level of its theme.  The bad news is that it has been done quite a bit by some other bands that play a similar style.  It should figure that Nocturnal Fear plays this style of music, since their influences include Destruction, Sodom, and Kreator.  Having said that, Metal of Honor is a relentless attack of the senses and keeps the attack going from a music standpoint.  However, the overall lack of flexibility in its music will likely leave the listener gasping for air, especially considering that only one track (“Reign of Terror,” which is an instrumental) clocks in under the five minute mark.  In general, thrash metal is all about making an impact within four minutes, and while Nocturnal Fear should be commended for going outside the line of thinking, it wouldn’t have hurt if the band mixed in a few quick songs to go along with the five minute plus songs.  The vocals are borderline growls, which help further the message that the band is trying to send.  Unfortunately, there just simply isn’t enough variety for the message to ever have the impact that it so desires.

Nocturnal Fear is one of the better thrash metal bands in a musical sense.  However, the mostly prolonged songs tend to water down the sound’s impact a little.  The lack of originality is not nearly as bothersome on Metal of Honor as it would be on today’s other thrash albums, but the lack of range can only warrant a couple of good listens to the album before one gets tired.

Release Date: November 3rd, 2009
Label: Moribund Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  Cast from Heaven
2.  Nuclear Deathstrike
3.  Death before Dishonor
4.  Soul Destroyer
5.  The Victor and
      the Vanquished
6.  Reign of Terror
7.  The Enigma of Steel
8.  Soldiers of Hell
9.  Russian Roulette
10.  Triumph of Steel

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