Artist: Nocturnal Deviancy
Country: USA
Label: Dark Adversary Productions
Formats: CD EP
Year: 2024

Together with a digital split with Chasmic Filth that appeared just a month prior this Dark Adversary Productions released EP, these are the first recordings from Nocturnal Deviancy. A new one-man project by Vollmond, the man who is also behind Flaggelant and the great Feeble Deity that I reviewed a few months ago. With Nocturnal Deviancy it is quite obvious that Vollmond is paying tribute to the best of Black Metal from his native scene.

In just under half an hour we are presented with seven sharp sounding tracks that evolve around the heritage of bands like Judas Iscariot and early Krieg. Fast and memorable riffing, icy cold melodies, a croaking vocal delivery and a raw and minimal production: it is really all there making ‘Eternity’s Cold Embrace’ a treat for anyone who is into the traditional second wave Black Metal.

As, of course, those founding father of American Black Metal (USBM) are heavily indebted to the European originators of the genre, with Darkthrone as their main source of inspiration. The simple and rather Punk-vibed drums, shrill guitar sound and the catchy melodies do echo all that classic Black Metal is about.

It is abundantly clear that Vollmond had no intentions of being original, instead this feels like a honest and heartfelt homage to the greatness of traditional Black Metal. And in this, it is just as clear that he excels in tremendous song writing and his sense for authenticity. Fans of bands like Satanic Warmaster, Moonblood or the aforementioned Judas Iscariot, take notice!