Review by Ben for Nokturnal Mortum - Lunar Poetry (1996)
An enjoyable symphonic black metal release that has transcended well beyond its original demo cassette format.
Nokturnal Mortum is an interesting black metal band from the Ukraine. With a dominant symphonic aspect to their sound along with injections of folk instrumentation, they’ve released numerous cool albums since their inception back in 1994. Lunar Poetry is often referred to as the band’s first full-length album but in fact was originally released as demo cassette in 1996. Yet this demo contains no less than 9 tracks totalling over 45 minutes and has since been re-released in numerous formats. But what really separates Lunar Poetry from the average demo recording is the quality of the music. This is enjoyable, proficient symphonic black metal that overcomes a slightly muffled production with memorable melodies and great atmosphere. Black metal is one of the few genres that can benefit from low production values and this album is a good example. It helps that all the instruments remain audible as separate entities, but the muddy sound gives the cold black metal riffs and eerie keyboard work an extra dose of atmosphere that goes a heck of a long way with this style of music.
Munruthel utilizes all sorts of different drumming techniques alongside the typical blast beats and double bass kicking. His percussive style often gives the music a folk-like feel which would be built upon on future albums. Knjaz’s vocals are standard black metal fare, yet the addition of occasional clean vocals is used well throughout. The riffs are not always the main feature with the keyboards often taking centre stage, but whenever they step up, they are very cool indeed. Surprisingly, there are quite a few nice solos on Lunar Poetry which is not something I expect all that often when listening to symphonic black metal, but it all adds up to quite a unique experience. Occasionally the symphonic aspect will enter a zone close to fluffiness (Perun’s Celestial Silver plagiarizes early Cradle of Filth too) but for the most part, this release holds a consistently moody and dark tone that I thoroughly enjoy. Lunar Poetry is a rare case of a demo recording being truly deserving of being heard. Not only that, it’s many Nokturnal Mortum fans favourite release by the band which is not to say their other material isn’t worthy. If you enjoy symphonic black metal, you should check this out! Highlight tracks for me are Lunar Poetry, Carpathian Mysteries, …and Winter Becomes and Ancient Nation.
Important Note: Nokturnal Mortum is generally regarded as a major band in the Eastern Europe National Socialist black metal scene. While I have just given a fair amount of praise to the quality of their music, I’d like to spend some time discussing what the above scene represents, and whether we should distance ourselves from any bands associated with it. I don’t wish to turn my review of Lunar Poetry into a political discussion, but then it’s difficult to talk about Nokturnal Mortum in any detail without raising topics that in turn raise interesting questions. Many argue that praising and promoting bands with controversial ideologies means giving more strength to the ideologies themselves. That’s not something to take lightly considering the morals involved here.
As a fan of extreme metal, I am perfectly used to bands using violent, grotesque imagery along with values that I personally wouldn’t stand behind. Pro-war/violence and anti-religious lyrics are regularly found throughout death and black metal and I generally have no problem with them. A huge majority of the band members that utilize violent, destructive lyrics would never practice the murder and brutality that these lyrics portray. They are simply a tool that helps form the overall mood of the music, and a release for the anger and frustration that is held within both the performers themselves and a fair amount of their audience. As for anti-religious lyrics, I can personally connect with them as I think religions are not only based on fiction and lies, but that they are also harmful to humanity in many ways. Metal is one of the only forms of media that is willing to openly discuss these issues, whether it be through provocative baiting or through thoughtful, intelligent philosophy. But what happens when a band sends a message that is not just a bit of fun or fantasy, but instead holds very serious moral implications?
National Socialism, of which Nazism is a form, is an ideology built upon racism and hatred. White supremacy, racial separatism, anti-Semitism and heterosexism are all part of its philosophy and can all be found within the work of National Socialist black metal bands. I oppose these values entirely and certainly wouldn’t want to be promoting them. Since Nokturnal Mortum are connected to this scene, should I not boycott their music the same way The End Records did by dropping the band back in 2002 once they figured out what the band represented? I would like to hear the opinion of others, but for me, I am simply viewing Nokturnal Mortum’s music as a form of art. There are many forms of art out there that have messages that oppose our own values, and yet we do not avoid experiencing them. If anything, we benefit from the education we receive from them, just as I have benefitted from learning about National Socialism through its involvement in black metal. The key for me is awareness! There is no shame in appreciating art on its artistic merits alone, but it is important to be aware of and to understand its moral implications if one is to remain unaffected by it.