Customer Reviews

Nocturnal Silence

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one of the best death metal albums of all time. The first time I heard this album I was in total shock because it gave me the same feeling as Slayer's Hell Awaits did. This album has by far the most "evil" atmosphere I have ever encountered in an album. A lot of bands have the satanic image and they try really hard to be evil, but many of them don't cut it like Necrophobic. There music is brilliant. Davis Parland (AKA Blackmoon) is hands down the best death metal guitarist that I have ever heard. His songwriting is both brutal and very catchy. The production is amazing. Unlike other swedish bands who recorded in the early 90s they had their own sound. Their lyrics are beautifully frightening. I cannot speak highly enough about this album. If you are into death metal, I highly recommend this album. Your collection is not complete without it. I also recommend the first Dark Funeral album " Secrets of the Black Arts", War and Infernal. These bands were all formed by David Parland after he exited Necrophobic.

Yes, a bold statement - but Necrophobic backs it up indeed. I was knocked to the floor the first time I heard this CD. I probably listened to it every day for a year straight, and then pretty much once a week since then - it just doesn't get old! The guitar work is unmatched, only Abyssos or Dissection can compete. These guys destroy Morbid Angel or Cannibal Corpse as far as guitar riffs are concerned... Their style is chilling, you will literally get goose bumps from listening, it's so damn evil, and yet so cool. The guitar sound is the old-school Swedish D.M. sound - courtesy of Sunlight Studio, which is where all the classic releases were recorded (Entombed, Dismember, Grave, Nihilist) The drumming is dead-on, and the drummer actually wrote a lot of the riffs! Vocals have a lot of variety, and the overall energy and sound quality are hard to beat, even with today's standards. If you liked: "Left Hand Path" from Entombed, "Pieces" from Dismember, or "You'll Never See" from Grave, "The Nocturnal Silence" will blow your ass away!!!

This album is pure evil from start to finish. I'm amazed how Necrophobic didn't manage to achieve a higher status after the release of this debut, The Nocturnal Silence, which is an utter shame. Everything about this album emanates perfection. The guitarwork is brillant, brutal, beautiful, and beastly. There is not one weak track found, there is not even a weak section. Necrophobic is as evil, if not more than legendary bands such as Emperor, Mayhem, and Darkthrone. If I were Satan, I would truly be shaking in my goat clefted boots knowing that that there is a new contender to the throne of darkness, and that is Necrophobic.

Even though this album was released in 1993 with bands like Cannibal Corpse, and Deicide being popular at the time their was Necrophobic which I think put both those bands to shame. Just listen to the opening riffs of the album and you'll hear why. The guitar sound is so damn heavy kind of like Entombed's guitar sound on "Left Hand Path", but heavier.
Necrophobic never got as big as Emperor or Immortal so you posers won't know this band
"The Nocturnal Silence" is definitely one of the most brutal death metal albums of the 90's

This isn't the darkest, most evil album I've ever heard, but Necrophobic always had a knack for creating some twisted stuff. Sinful while at the same time melodic, this band blends well the traits of black metal into death metal. Therefore, tremolo and a razor-like guitar tone is the par for the course, with vocals tortured and drums you can expect more on the stomping end than the prancing one. Every song here is a stab against all that is holy or a virgin; a wise choice of enemies.

It's difficult to identify the better vocalist: Anders or future frontman Tobias. Both have mutilated growls and terrifying screams full of agony, both share no mercy for the weak, and I believe their voices add a spiritual touch to the despicable style of Parland. Parland himself doesn't let up once on the riffs - reminding me of Morbid Angel if they got their act together. The riffs here are fast and depraved or thrashy and vile - very sharp, but not thin or thick like Dismember's chainsaw distortion. Drums follow along with blast beasts, checkered timing, and fun beats to drive along with. Solos aren't sparse, but they aren't showstoppers either; more emphasis is given to the evoking, blasphemous essence of song build-ups.

For instance, the title track (my favorite on the album), broods into hellish territory with the most malevolent clean guitar prod I've ever heard. It's so nasty that I imagine Satan using it as a battle anthem for his offensive against Heaven. Picture that: hordes of demons and all other evil beings storming the gates - laying waste, raped angels, and a final battle to end all battles. The sound of the drums is clear, though the double bass is buried pretty badly. I hoped to have a little more chunkiness from it, since the hats and toms are perfect sounding for this music. Atmosphere also I wish was a little bit more haunting like Immortalis' album.

That may be asking a little much, since herein the riffs are enough to carry the album. "Inborn Evil" and "The Ancients Gate" both are fantastic follow-ups to the title track, delving into cross-grumbling classical lead riffs, proving that melody can be induced effectively without sacrificing grit and style. I'm surprised that bass isn't more prominent in the music; you really can't hear it all that well. Not that it kills the music or anything, but the album could have been more wicked had the bass been bumped up.

Lastly, that cover art should have been scrapped. The colors are all good: red, purple, and black are a great combination, but that just looks way too cartoony. Now Darkside... that utilized these three colors damn well, but we'll get to that later.

Necrophobic sounds like a cross b/t Deicide and Bathory. Brutality with evil melody! This a must-own for all Death metal lovers. If you don't have it, decapitate yourself, poser!

Necrophobic managed to create a masterpiece out of Nocturnal Silence. i think this is their best effort though my first encounter with Necrophobic started with Darkside. It is more death metal oriented but the riffs and guitar solos are very well executed. it is one of those discs that flows flawlessly and you do not get board. production is very well done and each instrument is noticeable. I was able to find this cd new for only 17.00 which makes it even better.

One of many excellent Swedish Metal debuts from the early 90's, this sounds as vital as it ever did. Necrophobic's Death Metal incorporates elements of Doom and Black Metal, and they're unafraid to experiment with melody, keyboards and samples. Standout tracks like 'Before the Dawn', 'Unholy Prophecies', and 'Father of Creation' evoke a feeling of subtle darkness that hark back to a bygone era of Death Metal's history. Seek it out.