Like its predecessors, Nocturnal Will trades in frosty, shimmering guitars, heartfelt, roaring screams, and an explosive, d-beat-infused approach to tempo. Similar to Wormwitch in surface-level grittiness and underlying melancholia, but closer to Uada in energy, the band’s characteristic sound is both furious and gentle, biting and warm. It’s this fiery, but incredibly trve spirit that not only makes Dödsrit a breath of fresh air, but also just makes their music so wonderful to listen to. Nocturnal Will is absolutely no exception. When I tell you that putting this album on unfailingly makes me smile, I’m not exaggerating. Nor am I when I say that on my first playthrough, the solo that ends “Nocturnal Fire”—performed by Lamp of Murmuur’s M—literally caused me to stop working and just listen to it, because it’s so lovely.
Emotional weight is the heart of Nocturnal Will,1 and once again, Dödsrit manifest it through confident, beautiful melodies, all powerfully and tangibly uplifting. The presence of two guitarists, plus a bassist, is brilliantly utilized through swooping, soaring twin refrains (“Utmed Gyllbergens Stig ,” “As Death Comes Reaping,” “Celestial Will”), and layered, flowing chords (“Nocturnal Fire,” “As Death…”). What makes this doubly impactful is the fact that around half of Nocturnal Will is instrumental. Not (only) through wholly vocal-less tracks (“Utmed Gyllbergens Stig”), but with songs whose back (“Nocturnal Fire”) or front (“As Death Comes Reaping”) climaxes and develops perfectly well without them. Letting the instrumentation do the talking for so much of the runtime enhances the ability of both these enveloping themes and the vocals, when they return, to arrest and move the listener. The falling fade soon filled by atmospheric plucks, an escalating of rollovers and tremolo, and finally an ardent roar that comes midway through “Irjala”—fantastic; and who would have thought that a song called “As Death Comes Reaping” would have such a downright inspiriting, even whimsical melodic centerpiece.
Because of how dynamic and energetic so much of the album is, it remains compelling throughout its runtime. While no wheels are being reinvented when it comes to stylistic approach, as far as Dödsrit’s sound goes, what ain’t broke don’t need fixing. Brief moments of stillness (“Ember and Ash,” “Celestial Will”) don’t outstay their welcome and flow naturally from the cascades of tremolo, and crescendos of percussion and screams. It’s arguable that the 45-second “Ember and Ash” doesn’t need to be there, and could instead simply be tacked onto the front of “Utmed Gyllbergens Stig,” which continues its melody anyway. There’s also the creeping feeling that, as stirring and as solid as Nocturnal Will is, it doesn’t do enough to imprint itself in memory steadfastly. Stop spending time with it, and it fades. Only, of course, for it to flood with color again as you return, and remember how great it is.
Black metal, and any offshoot therefrom, doesn’t need to be devastating, insanely complex, or brutal to be effective. Dödsrit, for another consecutive record, prove this with music that wears its musical and emotional heart on its sleeve. Gracefully dynamic and skin-tinglingly thrilling to listen to, Nocturnal Will is pure black metal joy and bittersweet sadness encapsulated. Don’t miss it.
Rating: Very Good!
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Wolves of Hades
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: March 22nd, 2024
