Artist: Nyctophilia
Country: Poland
Label: Wolfspell Records
Formats: LP / Cassette tape / CD
Year: 2025
Ever since 2014, main man Grief has been pushing out releases for his project Nyctophilia. With ‘Stargazer’, we have arrived at the seventh full-length of the Polish band, released once again by the quality label Wolfspell Records. At the basis of the music we find cold Black Metal with sterile propulsive drums and cosmic keyboard humming. While the earlier material of the band was labeled as Atmospheric and Depressive Black Metal, I wouldn’t go so far as to put the band in those categories anno 2025. Certainly, the first three or four albums or so had a more depressive undertone, but on the subsequent albums a more uptempo, riff-driven and atmospheric sound took a foothold. And it is this style that continues to be developed on ‘Stargazer’. That is not to say that the latest record is devoid of slower parts, it is actually the dynamics in pace that offers the most versatility in the musical formula. But it would be much more accurate to compare the band to the likes of Evilfeast, Frozen Graves and Finnish Symphonic Black Metal, early Emperor and Burzum, and to mention some Swedish melodicism in the riffs, rather than references of Striborg and Xasthur. The points I’m trying to make is that even atmospheric Black Metal feels too limiting a term for what Nyctophilia does here.
Grief is rather adept at creating versatile Black Metal, mostly through the varied pace dictated by diverse play in the drums. The guitar riffs are often a bit more constant, and keyboards stay somewhat more straightforwardly humming, relying on holding on to a few strong riffs and bareboned synthesizers to keep the music strong and to the point. Yet the final product is incredibly effective and not at all sounds repetitive. I would even say it’s rather excellent in a song like ‘Ascension Through the Black Flames’, when shifting tonality of quick riffs eventually leads to the music slowing down and eerie strumming is accompanied by frenzied howling. Or the blistering catchiness of the subsequent ‘Shadows Reign my Heart’, ravaging in percussive intensity and tremolo leads until keyboards take over centre stage. The thrusting pace of ‘Eclipsed by the Temple of Frozen Moon’ is delightful, but the midpaced breaks with howling and croaky shrieks are even more captivating and give the song a bombastic appearance.
It’s obvious that the steady workpace and continuous tinkering with the Nyctophilia formula has paid dividends. ‘Stargazer’ feels like the most mature and impressive sounding record, clearer and sharper in production, more captivating in its grandeur, and more varied as a whole. Give this a shot if you dig Evilfeast, or the more forceful symphonic and atmospheric Black Metal from Finland. ‘Stargazer’ might be right up your alley.
