Nocturnal Rites

Afterlife (Century Media)
by Scott Hefflon

Always liked Nocturnal Rites for playing classic heavy metal but with a bit tougher vocal approach. Unlike Hammerfall and their tasseled felt boot ilk, I consider Nocturnal Rites more a biker-boot crew, and while the warble wobbles, it’s more of a manly Bruce Dickinson vocal approach than, I dunno, Winger or White Lion or whatthefuckever. And while the band’s from Sweden, as are plenty of the pretty boys, they have the good graces to be earthier, sounding like clods of soil lobbed about instead of the over-polished prissy prancing of their contemporaries. I hear the band’s parted ways with the lyrical foolishness of swords and dragon-fighting and such, but I’m not much of a lyric follower anyway. Meaty and aggressive, shredding and laying down scorching solos, Nocturnal Rites are the power metal band for those looking for something with a little more balls.
(1453-A 14th St. #324 Santa Monica, CA 90404)