Noctiferia
Death Culture
5.2
On paper, Noctiferia looks promising as hell. They’ve got a supersize, modern apocalyptic style of Meshuggah-meets-Fear Factory kinda sound, with massive production and aggression to burn. But as the World Cup reminds us, what’s on paper doesn’t amount to much—teams have to execute. And this is where Noctiferia stumbles. (They're from Slovenia, by the way, while we’re talking World Cup.) They’ve got a sound that will grab your attention, but struggle to do much to maintain it. Much like the last Biomechanical album (a band similar in approach, if not in style), I kept waiting for these songs to sink in, but very little actually took hold, as behind the bluster, there just don’t seem to be many ideas. Worse, in a few places the band treads a little too close to Static X territory for my liking.
There are a few bright spots in the battering percussion of Matjaz Grgeta and the likes of “Catarsis” and “Samsara,” which offer cogent songwriting ideas and effective melodies. Otherwise, there’s not much more than occasional glimpses of quality within a mass of the very mundane. It’s a shame, too, because Noctiferia could turn some heads with a few more consistently strong ideas. Unless you’re a sucker for this style, you’re safer to sit this one out.
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NoctiferiaPer Aspera
4/22/2003