Nachtmystium - Black Meddle Pt. II: Addicts

Part #2. A sequel to succession, a soundtrack to persistence. Chicago’s faves Nachtmystium released their  fifth full – length album earlier this year. After a widely engulfed and critically acclaimed pt. 1, Black Meddle Pt. II: Addicts, definitely follows pt. 1 ‘s footsteps. Blake Judd’s black metal vision comes in flesh;one can certainly distinct his unique approach on musical expression.

     Black Meddle Pt. II: Addicts is a black metal album. Or is it not? Nachtmystium have indeed been here and there, seeking the genre most suitable for them, and through their last releases, it has been made quiet clear that they are above all stereotypical musical boundaries. Experimentation flourishes in them, thus, this album could have hardly been an exception. What the album delivers is certainly based on black metal riffing and approach (the distorted vocals, too). However, the influences are intense enough to actually repel this monotone term;Pt. 2 is rock n’ roll, the aesthetics is grunge, the rhythm is groovy, the output is melodic, the structure is pleasurable and the canvas is black. The once constant/ dense psychedelic elements, that actually led to the band’s music being referred to as “blackadelia”, have been appreciably reduced, although not diminished;this is actually the major factor differentiating Pt. 2 from Pt. 1: the psychedelic characteristics’ density. Truth be told, this release tends to be more of a “post-rock“ act than a psychedelic one.

     Black Meddle Pt. II: Addicts ‘s sound is the traditional Nachtmystium one. The guitars’ accent is eerie, the soloing is quite melodic (Matt Johnson, Russ Strahan of Pentagram – guests), yet melancholic, reminiscent of past decades actually. On vocals, Mr. Judd gives his all. By the time the intro song has ended, and High on Hate blasts off, the distorted vocals, along with the fierce riffing immobilize the listener;Nachtmystium’ mainman serves one of his most emotional charged vocal lines to date. Naturally, Leviathan drummer’s , Wrest, addition as a session musician is a pro. While all instruments reinforce the atmosphere extracted, the synths definitely stand out, as they often shoulder the main tune (with their idiosyncratic  sound, certainly resonating to the guitar one). Rock n’ roll aesthetics concerning the guitars, mixed with the slightly experimenting keyboards, and the breed is beauty.

     As the very album title dictates, Pt. 2 lyrically focuses on addictions. The interesting part is that the lyrics’ subject is the “victim” itself, meaning that the concept is approached from the addicted one’s point of view. The futility of losing oneself in the under –world of addictions is praised at a meeting point, where optimism actually cannot be distinguished, as it has been drawn into hopelessness’ vortex. A meddle of (self) hatred, pessimism, a dawnless life. The concept is oriented on a sub – social reality, that is inescapable, the least.

     An album of comfort, which pleasures the listener with no skippable compositions, easily landing on Nachtmystium ‘s most addictive albums.  A band highly ambitious, serving even higher (and finally met up) expectations;this band is persistent, and constantly evolving. Simply and splendidly, this ultra – diverse release, this mixed – up musical recipe could be seen as one of 2010’s greatest albums.

Stelios (Ω) Grade: 8.5 (totally worth it)