“‘Cope’ is about the quiet battles young people fight while trying to figure out who they are in a world that doesn’t always make it easy.”
The post Saliva & Thousand Foot Krutch’s Trevor McNevan Deliver Rap Rock Nostalgia With “Cope” appeared first on Theprp.com.
When it comes to symphonic music, Italy has a rich history. From the famed Vivaldi to modern composer Ennio Morricone, who wrote the iconic score to The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Italy has left an indelible mark on music history. This extends as well to their symphonic metal scene, with the likes of Ancient Bards and Moonlight Haze to the giants Rhapsody of Fire and Fleshgod Apocalypse. Orchestral arrangements can transform metal music from the mundane into something more profound if done right. Nefastis did not begin their journey as a symphonic death metal band. Their 2014 debut, De Diebus Fastis Nefastis Infaustis, was a work of death/thrash with a progressive tilt. However, lineup changes forced the band to take a lengthy break. Twelve years later, founders Andrea Lenzi and Simone Colombo put the pieces back together, hoping to reinvent and rejuvenate Nefastis on their sophomore outing, Shadows at the Light of Dawn.
While traces of their thrash roots remain, Shadows at the Light of Dawn proves to be a work of symphonic melodeath at heart. Unlike the bombastic, operatic work of Fleshgod Apocalypse, Nefastis plays a more subdued blend of death and symphonic metal. “Tears of the Past” features a fantastic melodic lead with strings and the occasional flute providing seasoning rather than competing to be the main course. These are mostly mid-tempo bruisers, but Nefastis shows their thrash side on the more energetic “Stardust.” Nefastis also rip out a neoclassical solo here and there, such as on opener “Cosmic Silence at the Edge of the New World,” where the solos duel with some pianos, and on “Seduced by the Beauty of Darkness,” where they accompany some synth wankery. Though I do wish they could have implemented more thrash, as Gods of Gaia did to great success last year, Nefastis still does some really cool things that should make genre fans happy.
The overall structure of Shadows at the Light of Dawn, interrupted by several lengthy instrumental interludes, makes it difficult for the record to find continuity. Since these interludes crop up every three tracks, Nefastis effectively kill their momentum whenever it starts to build. It doesn’t help that these interludes are full-length songs, each about three minutes. They also feel out of place tonally. “Absence of Illumination” delivers a brief synth composition that gives off Curta’n Wall vibes amidst its otherwise somber atmosphere. Synths also play a role on the more uplifting “Lights of Dawn,” which again has little in common with what surrounds it. Even stranger is “Blackened Visions,” containing a soft piano composition that belongs in a chaste concerto rather than a death metal album. Nefastis had so many ideas they wanted to implement that they were willing to sacrifice their record’s coherence.
This lack of continuity, unfortunately, translates into a greater lack of consistency throughout Shadows at the Light Dawn. Great ideas often get lost within some bland compositions. The thrash of “Stardust,” for example, is a light shining through more forgettable segments surrounding those thrash bits. Similarly, “Tears of the Past” opens with nearly a minute of lethargic material before diving into the fun parts. Still, there’s enough cool stuff to keep listeners engaged until the record collapses in the excesses of its final two songs. “Collapsing Dream” is an eight-minute snoozefest that starts off well enough before devolving into such a boring tune you might drift into dreamland before it’s over. Finale “Flowers Swept Away by the Autumn” takes the cake in its weirdness, but at least it’s interesting. You’ll hear some chiptunes, Stranger Things-style synths, a lengthy stoner/jazz solo, and some power metal riffs. All of this gives the impression of a band still in search of its identity.
Nefastis simultaneously sound like a generic symphonic death metal band and a very unusual one. I didn’t even go into the vocals. On that front, Colombo delivers some aggressively deranged blackened rasps that are initially off-putting. Oftentimes, these symphonic acts implement softer female vocals into their performances, whether it’s the operatic singing of Therion, or the beauty and beast dynamic of Sirenia. Nefastis opts for just Colombo until, puzzlingly, the final two songs. An unnamed female singer contributes to about 30 seconds’ worth of material, and then the record’s all done. Yet her bits are some of the catchiest stuff here. Nefastis has a ton of potential. Once they can focus on a more consistent style, they should give this mystery singer more airtime. I bet they can write something special.
Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Rockshots Records
Websites: Qobuz | Facebook | Official Site
Releases Worldwide: March 6th, 2026
The post Nefastis – Shadows at the Light of Dawn Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.
With Skillet, From Ashes To New, Winona Fighter & more.
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There’s doom and stoner metal bands aplenty for the multi-day event in Austin, TX.
The post YOB, Khemmis, Greenleaf & More Booked For 2026 ‘RippleFest Texas’ appeared first on Theprp.com.
Breathing in some new life?
The post Skinlab’s Cover Of Hatebreed’s “Last Breath” Debuts appeared first on Theprp.com.
The post EMILY RACH BEISEL: Avant Music News Hosts Exclusive Stream Of Sumptuous Branching, The Second LP By Chicago Experimental Woodwind Composer; Album Out This Friday On Amalgam + Midwest Tour Begins appeared first on INFRARED MAGAZINE.
Portland’s melodic black metal trio Old Moon will soon release their debut album, Home to Nowhere, but Decibel has an exclusive peek at the album via the video for its title track. Musically, Old Moon have more in common with their European post-/melodic black metal counterparts compared to their American peers, finding common ground with bands like Ellende and Harakiri for the Sky, evoking an almost dreamlike quality with their guitar melodies.
“‘Home to Nowhere’ is an incredibly deep and emotional track,” says bandleader Michael Priest. “It describes a lot of hurt and regret and just the feeling of longing for something that doesn’t exist anymore.
“Writing this song was a challenge. I had to put myself in that place to be able to articulate it properly and have it translate as profoundly as it’s meant. I had to feel it fully to express it properly. I think you can feel that in the music, not just with this one but throughout the entire album. Every song comes from a very personal place. Each has their own voice and story. With this album, it gives those things a place to live which seems a bit ironic considering the title.”
Home to Nowhere is officially out on May 8 via M-Theory (pre-orders here). Check out the video below and hear the other released songs via the Bandcamp embed.
The post Video Premiere: Old Moon – ‘Home to Nowhere’ appeared first on Decibel Magazine.
The band began working on their fifth studio album several years ago.
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