Sunday 16 February 2014

Aleph Null - Nocturnal - Album Review

Nocturnal cover art

Album Type: Album
Date Released: Feb 15th 2014
Label: Self Released

Nocturnal – Track Listing

1.Roman Nails 04:16
2.Backward Spoken Rhymes 04:47
3.Muzzle of a Sleeping God 05:28
4.Black Winged Cherub 05:31
5.Stronghold 06:56
6.Nocturnal Part I 03:39
7.Nocturnal Part II 11:46

Band Members

Carsten - Bass
Jens - Drums
Philip - Guitars,Vocals

Review:

WOW, WOW, WOW and WOW

Can I start an album review with that statement as it's true. Aleph Null have finally released their stunning debut album – NOCTURNAL. After teasing the Doom/Stoner Metal world with two excellent EP's back in 2012 - Dale and 2013 - Belladonna

These German Psych based Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metallers have themselves quite a considerable fanbase due to their style of hard-hitting Psych based riffs. Taking influence from Black Sabbath, Kyuss and Mastodon, It's time for Aleph Null to truly announce their arrival to the metal world. And they have with Nocturnal.

A stunning 44 minute album that has it's fair share of hazy psychedelic riffs that blends, Doom, Sludge, Stoner and Grunge to hypnotic hard-rocking effect. Nocturnal may have a more laid-back approach compared to Belladonna but it's better because of it as Aleph Null have concentrated more on the song writing while pairing it up with ambient noises and effects.

Nocturnal feels like a concept album as it has many crazy and wild ideas that would make Mastodon go weak at the knees. Tracks such as Roman Nails, Muzzle of A Sleeping God will show you you're in for a very wild ride. Sabbathian based riffs spliced with a hard-rocking Alice In Chains grunge vibe will have you hooked in no time at all.

Aleph Null have gone slightly crazier on this album as they have written some truly fucked-up lyrics to awaken your senses too. Check out – Black Winged Cherub – for more evidence of this but the guys have written a hypnotic spellbinding riff you will instantly fall for. This is where Aleph Null go into overdrive as the volume becomes quite deafening at times and that is a good thing in my book.

If you're already a fan of this great band then you're going to love this album. It proves that Aleph Null have the potential to be a very special band indeed within the Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal scene.

Philip's vocals are immense through out the album. He sings through a whole bunch of different styles – Grunge, Sludge, Stoner and Doom when the albums mood calls for it. Jens and Carsten are superb on Drums and Bass respectively as they breathe life into this brilliant genre-defying power-trio.

Though the albums main selling point is the two-part epic – NOCTURNAL – which runs for an amazing 15 mins or so. This is song is worth it for the download alone as it shows what Aleph Null are all about. Atmospheric riffs and noises brimming with ideas that will take an age to fully understand.

Nocturnal Part 1 is an ambient based driven track told through the power of slow-paced riffs and singular noises and it's an unsettling ride that will make you think despite being an purely instrumental track.

Now it's time for Nocturnal Part 2. A 12 minute epic that harks back to the earlier days of Alice In Chains as it's a dark and delicious ride into the unknown. Just embrace this track for all it's worth and you will justly be rewarded with powerful riffs that will leave you in an emotionally charged state.

Aleph Null have delivered a brilliant debut album and one that should enhance their reputation as one of the finest Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal bands coming from Germany.

Now a lot of people have the same view as me – HOW THE HELL IS THIS ALBUM FREE – Yes folks. It's available for free download from BandCamp now. This is an album that I would of happily pay top dollar for. It's seriously that great.

Just headover to Bandcamp now as this album is going to launch these guys in a big way.

Brilliant. End Of.

Check The Band From Links Below


Written by Steve Howe