New World Messiah

Nocturnal Rites | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 6, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Century Media
• ASIN: B0001MDQ1W
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #248,164 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars rehashing the same formula, with even less energy, March 1, 2005

By 

dismaleuphony (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: New World Messiah (Audio CD)

Well, at the risk of being totally hated, I'm going to offer my thoughts on New World Messiah...

Personally, I gave this CD a 3, and if it wasn't for the band having an awesome singer and quality sound, I'd give it less. I'm a fan of their "Afterlife" CD a lot, and like most of "Shadowland" as well, but with this CD, I think their time has run out. What happened here?

Okay...it's not like a hate it, but once the first track is done with, I'm left yearning for something I can enjoy, but it's just not there. "New World Messiah" (the song) is a good opener. No problems but it's nothing we haven't heard before from this band. But, the comes "Against the World," and I'm left saying "damn, I hope there's something good coming soon, because I'm getting worried." Nocturnal Rites is really sounding sing-songy and relying too much on their patented background singing-infused chorus lines. The guitar solo is just boring...I may be no guitar virtuoso, but I think I could at least think of a more interesting melody here.

"Avalon" comes on and I'm like, "Okay, I don't like this song, but it's actually a good one." So, not too bad yet... But, for some reason "Avalon" makes me feel like listening to Edenbridge, because the chorus feels so bombastic I can't help but wishing I was belting out "The Undiscovered Land" atop of uptempo power metal instead of atmospheric metal. Nothing against Edenbridge, but Nocturnal Rites used to be power metal with a touch of tension, anger, and inspiration in the hooks...what's this? This just doesn't have the same excitement to it. It feels like the band's swansong more than a band in the middle of their peak as musicians.

From here though, I'm going to have a tough time liking much else..."Awakening" has an interesting chorus with it's melodic progression, but that irritating effects-ridden solo just kills it for me. "Egyptica" feels like the band needed a "concept" for a song, and just went all out with this Egypt flavor. Yeah, it's got that Egyptian sound, but the guitarwork really isn't memorable, just different from power metal. "Break Away" is a filler song that is tolerable but I felt like I'd heard it before even though the song was only 90 seconds through...

I know some people really dig power metal ballads... I am hard to win over with them, however. A ballad to me is not an excuse to dump good guitar riffing and replace it with more vocals. "The Flame Will Never Die" is just what this feels like to me. Totally formulaic, even for power metal. Not a good riff in the song, just chunky, repetitive background noise to give all the attention to the vocals.

"One Nation" is good I'd say, but still not a hit. "Nightmare" is just Nocturnal Rites playing with their own sound... you know what's going to happen before the guys play it, but at least there is some descent soloing going on here.

What happened to my sound on "Afterlife"? These guys were one of the bands that made me say "damn, power metal really kicks ass! what a band to listen to while driving!" "Shadowland" had that great song "Birth of Chaos" so I was still hopeful, but ... alas, I'm lost here. My only saving grace is that I haven't heard anything before 2000 from them, so at least I can check out "new" old material at some point and regain some respect for this band.

I'm sorry if this is offensive to anyone... Nocturnal Rites just seems like a band going through the motions, playing off their past successes and thinking that as long as they use the same sound and production, no one will notice... just my thoughts, though...

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The greatest power metal record ever? (hear me out), November 30, 2004

By 

Michael Pardi "mikeonis" (Los Angeles, Ca) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: New World Messiah (Audio CD)

I don't know if I can make such a bold statement, but it is definitely my #1 favorite release for 2004, and certainly ONE of the best Power Metal recordings ever. This effort is pretty much flawless, the production is crushing, guitar work is stellar (as always with N.R.) vocals are even better (and more varied) than their last two CDs, and the bass/drums lay a perfect foundation, locking in with each other and hitting insanely hard... (this CD is LOUD!)
Ever since these guys layed off the "medieval" topics, their records have been greatly improving. I'm not saying "Sacred Talisman" was not good, it's just that the last three are amazing, "New World Messiah" being the best (in my opinion...) The vocals do not get too shrill, which is a constant complaint for people just getting into Power Metal. Jonny's voice is agressive yet melodic, keeping it true to old-school metal. The leads are incredible, they fit in perfect with the song, never coming across as obnoxious... Highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars POWER SPEED METAL AT IT'S BEST!!SO FULL SPEED AHEAD!, June 15, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: New World Messiah (Audio CD)

OH MY GOD!!!!This album is twice as good as any of their other album's.So don't listen to those other bad review's.There all just huge Afterlife fan's.And they're craving something that's just straight forward,slow,and boring heavy metal.And guess what,this album is heavier too.Just in a more Power speed metal package.I use to wonder if Owe Lingvall their drummer,had what it took to make a really great Power speed metal drummer,and you know what? He's got it in spades!Although this album does have one small negative.And that's that some of their song's are not as catchy as some of their other song's.Egyptica is a great example.I really think this is probably the weakest lerical song on the album.But it also has arguably the most amazing guitar solo on the album.So I think the amazing musicianship makes up for it,and I mean that too!On this album they are way tighter as a group,and you will,that is if you give it a chance,definately hear that.Although I,myself heard it right off,and I was literally blown away!All their guitar solo's are way,way,more wicked than their other album's.So I tend to think that maybe only Power metal hater's just don't like this album as much.Which is expected.What with the kind of quick transition from a more heavy metal sounding album like Afterlife,to a slightly more Power metal sounding album like Shadowland,to this amazing display of Power speed metal.I think this album might be a little hard to diggest lerically,although just at first.But the outstanding production,music,that is way tighter,faster,and about four times better than the other album's should do the trick.Now don't get me wrong those other album's are amazing too,but I still think musically,not so much lerically,that this album put's them really badly to shame.This album is so good that maybe it hasn't really sunk into the other reviewer's head's yet.I mean,it's of such a high caliber that it might cause you to write a bad review purely because you'r mind that might be use to the other two slower album's.That it just can't comprehend how EXTREMELY awesome this one is.So I think that people should buy this album DEFINATELY,and get their other amazing album's as well,and if you'r thinking about putting down this album for whatever stupid reason.I urge you to take another listen.The slightly different approach of the lerics might not have you by the first time you listen to it.But a couple more,and you just might be hooked...