Review by Daniel for Nokturnal Mortum - Голос сталі (2009)

Look…. Let’s be honest here. I was never going to like this album & I never really expected to either. This was my first revisit after having given “Голос сталі” a run back at the time of release & finding it to be quite repulsive. But there’s something you need to know about me. I suffer from OCD (i.e. obsessive completism disorder) & this means that I find it very hard to accept that I don’t at least have an informed opinion on every important metal release there is. And unfortunately for me, that includes the folk metal subgenre which (with the exception of a couple of bands) I find to be directly opposed to my personal tastes most of the time. To be more specific, it’s a genre that I’ve have had a running battle with for decades now. BUT…. thankfully the metal Gods have had some sort of mercy on me because “Голос сталі” (or “The Voice Of Steel” if you prefer the translated version) isn’t half as bad as I remember (although admittedly a fair way from something that I’d legitimately enjoy).

“Голос сталі” certainly requires a fair commitment from the listener as it’s a lengthy album coming in at just under 70 minutes in duration with most of the tracks approaching or exceeding the ten minute mark. But to their credit, Nokturnal Mortum don’t every stand still for too long & I don’t think I ever become bored as such. There’s a lot in this material to be honest & the creative juices were clearly flowing at this point in time. An expansive production job certainly helps & we see a number of folk instruments employed to good effect along with the regular use of synthesizers. I think the synths work really well as (unlike many of their peers) the band don’t overdo them. They’re always noticeable but play more of a supporting role most of the time which helps to beef up Nokturnal Mortum’s sound. They also give “Голос сталі” a bit of a progressive feel & I’d guess that Pink Floyd & 70’s progressive electronic music might have been an influence on the band. In fact, there’s still a definite symphonic aspect to the Nokturnal Mortum’s sound which is not surprising as they originally started as a symphonic black metal outfit in the mid 90’s. The black metal vocals are still here in full capacity too but I have to admit that they don’t add much to the music. They’re serviceable enough but lack a bit of character. It would have added something to album if they’d varied the vocal delivery a bit more like they did on a track like “Небо сумних ночей”. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a horrible track & the low point of the album but Varggoth (if it’s him) sounds more like Johan Edlund from Tiamat & I would have liked to see other variations in vocal delivery across the album.

Although “Голос сталі” is generally regarded as a folk metal release (& I’m not denying that it is), there’s a little bit more to it than that. Predictably I find the genuine folk metal material to be a real struggle but there’s also some really interesting & ambitious ideas being explored at times too. For example, the lead guitar work more often than not sounds more like Mark Knopfler from Dire Straits than anything else & the accompanying instrumentalists have worked with that concept to create some genuinely original sections within the longer pieces. It was quite ingenious really & I find those sections to be quite intriguing. The other parts that interest me tend to be the less cheesy black metal & Viking metal parts with Emperor & “Twilight Of The Gods”-era Bathory being the main influences there. But don’t fret all of you hardcore folk metal fans out there, when Nokturnal Mortum get their gallantry on they still folk it up with the best of ‘em & it’s here that I find myself failing to withhold a cringe or ten. Interestingly I really like the intro piece “Інтро” which is pure folk music (i.e. sans metal) & it reminds me that I actually don’t mind folk music. I just really struggle with folk melodies being incorporated within a metal context as I feel that the two genres tend to fight opposing battles & a track like “Шляхом сонця” showcases that in no uncertain terms.

Overall, it was inevitable that I’d find “Голос сталі” to be hard work & fans of the folk metal subgenre should probably take my opinion with a grain of salt. But I do think that Nokturnal Mortum have managed to put together a reasonably creative piece of art here. If not one that would appeal to my personal tastes much.

For fans of: Moonsorrow, Kroda, Temnozor