Nachtstille – The Inquisition of Death (2020) / 90%

 

The only Inquisition we need in 2020

Nachtstille (nocturnal silence) is a new project formed by Brendan Radigan (Magic Circle, Torture Chain, Mind Eraser...), his wife Kim Mercado and US east coast music engineer Trevor Vaughan. This three track demo released by the always excellent Tour de Garde (seminal local label for me) explores a sort of black metal that’s very close to my heart and does it with a lot of care and strength.

Three long-ish songs make up the release and I just end up wishing for more after it’s done. There’s a sense of epicness found within their atmospheres and it’s expansive without being overbearing or dull. It’s taking the old sensibilities of Emperor sans the corniness and adding a fair share of occult medieval influences. At times, it almost reminds me of a Cascadian take on the middle-age witchcraft slow dirges of Cultes des Ghoules and I mean, that’s incredible. The keyboards are loud but they bring this DIY, Summoning-ish feel I really liked, especially when it sounds like an organ like on the first track. It can be chaotic (in a good way) when combined with the fast drumming and the epic, incisive but melodic guitar tremolos but there’s a lot of time to let the whole thing breathe as well. Compared to Radigan’s “main” black metal project Torture Chain, this isn’t oppressive and as experimental in its sonic darkness but there’s the same odd deeply attractive charm. That quality can be expressed through beautiful moments found mostly through the intertwining of the powerful guitars and the sometimes subtle but often vividly present keys. Lastly, the vocals (Mercado) are subdued but effective as this sort of background ghastly presence. Not a highlight but it works well for their black metal approach and it could recall a sort of hellish take on Jeanne d’Arc or the many witches that were burned alive.

Nachtstille has the ability to channel highly epic and atmospheric black metal that’s able to be both bombastic and viscerally raw at the same time. The Inquisition of Death is close to symphonic black metal but it was thankfully made without the big budget of a band signed to Nuclear Blast or Century Media. It’s inspired and powerful material influenced by what could be considered cheesy 90s black metal that’s not too afraid to incorporate modern yet primitive elements recalling dungeon synth, raw black and epic medievalism. Outstanding. Everything Radigan touches turns to gold.