Nachtmystium

Hot on the heels of the success of guitarist Azentrius’s side-project Twilight (which also features members of Leviathan, Xasthur and Kreig, amongst others) on Southern Lord Records, Battle Kommand have reissued Nachtmystium’s self-titled EP after years out of press. Those who enjoy the shrieking melancholic melodies of early Ulver or the under-produced drone of Darkthrone’s seminal Transilvanian Hunger will find much to enjoy here, as Nachtmystium retains the subtleties of the former without sacrificing any of the raw punch of the latter. Being the only release featuring Zmij on vocals, this is probably the most unhinged and (ahem) "necro” recording available by the group. Comparatively speaking, the production, with a remastering courtesy of Scott Hull (Pig Destroyer, Agoraphobic Nosebleed) is actually quite tolerable — the instruments are all audible, with the drums being surprisingly dominant. Recently filled out by former Krieg mastermind Imperial on bass, and with a new-full length due out later this year, Nachtmystium are a group to watch, particularly with the recent rise in popularity of black metal and its many subcategories.