Novembers Doom ‘Nephilim Grove’
Album Review By Adam McCann
Prophecy Productions/Death/Doom Metal
Novembers Doom have had an illustrious past within the death/doom genre. Throughout the last three decades, the band have released album after album of highly regarded metal with many fans and critics citing their work as definitive albums of death/doom. More recently, the bands work rate has slowed, albeit only a little, with the Chicago band releasing their eleventh studio album ‘Nephilim Grove’.
For such as serenely titled album, ‘Nephilim Grove’ forges forward with all the burning desire of Hades itself. However, what makes this album so enjoyable is the fact that it just isn’t a constant barrage of death metal drumming that can be seen with many of their peers; instead, what the listener will get with ‘Nephilim Grove’ are crushing parts, driving rhythms that we know Novembers Doom are capable of delivering, juxtaposed with sweepingly clean passages that show that the Chicago band are not just a one-trick pony. Tracks such as ‘Black Light’, ‘The Obelus’ and the title track itself are some of the best work that this band has ever released, all backed up with a beautiful high-quality production that does not detract from the music. Furthermore, as enjoyable as the clean vocals are, this album excels when growled; it is the growls of Paul Kuhr that solely remind us why we love Novembers Doom. These growls have all the tenacity of Johan Hegg and thus, are able to draw in younger fans who may not necessarily know who Novembers Doom are.
What Novembers Doom have done with ‘Nephilim Grove’ is deliver another excellent album to add to their already powerful catalogue and fans of My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost and Swallow the Sun should do their best to find and purchase this album; it will not disappoint.
Rating : 81/100
MHF Magazine/Adam McCann
