Nocturnal Torment was formed all the way back in 1988 as a band named Termination, but it's not until 2012's They Come at Night that we finally get to hear the group release their debut full-length album. Aside from a demo released in 2009, as well as an obscure tape released under the monicker of Termination in 1989, this death metal quartet has never released material as a collective unit in their nearly 25 year long existence - which is actually quite a shame considering the strength of the material offered on this album. It's always better late than never, though, and old school death metal fans should be sure to check out what these guys have to offer. While They Come at Night is hardly anything new, it's a solid example of old school death metal done right.
All of the members in Nocturnal Torment have been involved in numerous other bands over the past twenty years, and it definitely shows on They Come at Night. Though the band may not have always been the most active, all of the musicians here are top-notch players with a real knack for writing quality old school death metal. Musically, we're dealing with very raw, early nineties' sounding death metal somewhere between Entombed, Morbid Angel, Deicide, Incantation, and Cryptopsy. Plenty of fat, downtuned riffs bring the glory days of early Swedish death metal back to life, but the rather technical edge also brings a few American names to mind. Nocturnal Torment delivers a captivating and powerful take on old school death metal, and while it's not the most original by any stretch, the band's dedication to keeping the death metal of yesteryear alive will likely satisfy fans of the genre.
Clocking in at over 50 minutes, They Come at Night does begin to lose a bit of steam towards the second half, but I guess that's expected when we're talking about music this raw and intense. This is fifty minutes of very fast-paced and unpolished extreme metal just the way most fans like it. The derivative nature of this album is made up for by its sheer intensity, and overall it's a very recommendable purchase to fans of Entombed, Morbid Angel, and Deicide. Folks that love death metal without breakdowns, sleek productions, or any other modern gimmicks are bound to love what Nocturnal Torment have cooked up for their debut.
Track Listing:
1. Vile Affliction (4:29)
2. Alternative Reality (4:19)
3. Cycle of Life (6:25)
4. Fresh Flesh Fetish (5:18)
5. Bleeding (6:41)
6. Sweet Decay (5:12)
7. Forever Eternal Darkness (6:06)
8. They Come at Night (5:43)
9. Primordial Existence (6:25)
Total Time 50:38
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