Review: Nocturnal Breed – We Only Came for the Violence

The Norwegian blackthrashers of Nocturnal Breed already exist for 23 years. However, of their line-up from back then only founder/vocalist/bass player S.A. Destroyer remained. Guitarist I. Maztor and drummer/backing vocalist Tex Terror are also already part of Nocturnal Breed for quite a while though, may it be a bit shorter. Nocturnal Breed’s latest joined band member is guitarist V. Fineideath, but he’s also already with the band for nine years. Nocturnal Breed’s debut full-length, Aggressor, is also 22 years old. Since that time it was followed by four full-lengths, two EP’s, two splits, one boxed set and two compilations. Last June Nocturnal Breed added a sixth full-length to that list though. That newest album is titled We Only Came for the Violence.

Let’s put it this way, in terms of pace this album surely can be described as violence. Nocturnal Breed pounds quite heavily, something they immediately start with in the first song Choke on Blood, which is preceded by a cinematic-like, creepy, ominous, apocalypse-like intro titled Iron Winter. There are tempo changes to be found on this album though, such as in Frozen to the Cross and War Metal Engine. War Metal Engine, together with the title track, the slower Sharks of the Wehrmacht and Can’t Hold Back the Night, are my personal favorites of this album. The three last mentioned tracks also bring a bit more variation instrumentally compared to the other tracks on this album.

Nocturnal Breed’s music contains a very old school vibe, especially due to the vocals. S.A. Destroyer delivers very filthy and ominous screams, be sure to check Sharks of the Wehrmacht and A Million Mile of Trench as examples of this, sometimes ending in some higher notes. Closing track A Million Mile of Trench also is the most black metal track of this album, in terms of it being the least influenced by other musical styles. What’s mostly making it sound old school is the regularly echoing effect on the vocals, for example in the title track. In some parts in this track S.A. Destroyer’s vocals sound a bit like Rob Halford, sometimes interchanged with moments in which he sounds a bit more towards Taake’s Hoest.

Something that we also can hear very well in this title track is the instrument that this album is very focused around: the guitar. The guitars are really sounding very nice, such as also can be heard in Can’t Hold Back the Night, in which there are not only heavy riffs but also more melodic guitar parts to be heard. In addition to that there are also many very nicely roaring solo’s to be heard that all are very well-worth checking out. Every track contains at least one of those nicely roaring solo’s, so there’s no lack of that. Of course that’s except for the intros Iron Winter, at the start of the album, and Cannibalized by Fear, halfway the album.

Nocturnal Breed doesn’t really do something new on We Only Came for the Violence, but based on the old school vibe, that probably also wasn’t what they intended to do. Of course, that isn’t something necessary. With We Only Came for the Violence Nocturnal Breed delivered a very heavily pounding, nice black/thrash album, with a main role for the guitars and the vocals closely following.

If you like black/thrash metal Nocturnal Breed’s We Only Came for the Violence surely is very recommended!

Here you can read our preview of the upcoming edition of Eindhoven Metal Meeting, where Nocturnal Breed is also going to perform.

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