NOX AETERNA – Subject 17
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Although the Dutch melodic death metal band Nox Aeterna was founded in 2002, I had never heard of them before the release of their latest album, Subject 17. Arnold Boukes is the head of the band, serving as the singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is the only founding member alongside his wife Debbie Maasdam, who also plays guitar. The other three members joined between 2010 and 2014, a testament to the band's stable lineup. Nox Aeterna takes inspiration from Scandinavian death metal, which emphasizes both speed and melody. Like their idols Dark Tranquility and Children of Bodom, who emerged in the mid-1990s, Nox Aeterna also features a keyboard player to add the necessary melodies. On Subject 17, the Dutch band does not offer anything groundbreakingly new, but they still deliver excellent death metal. The songs are usually short and concise, surprising with their relentless speed. Despite the high tempo, they always manage to create beautiful melodies, as evidenced on Determined, one of three singles released prior to the album's release. Subject 17 is a concept album set at the beginning of the 20th century. Without giving away too many details, it is about unknown contagious diseases and several murders. The songwriting takes care to ensure that the mood of the song matches the lyrical content. Victims In Abandonment is a faster song because it deals with the rapid spread of a virus. The Trick is a bit darker, as it tells the story of a patient who deceives his doctor. I would also like to mention Godmode, where the band once again demonstrates their considerable speed. I do not want to go into every track, but I assure you that Subject 17 is a solid work without any flaws. Like their previous three albums, Subject 17 was self-released by the band. On the one hand, it is extremely difficult to obtain a decent record deal. On the other hand, the band understands that there are other priorities in life besides music and considers Nox Aeterna a pure leisure activity. This is also a good thing, because even though they only release new albums irregularly, there is still a lot of love and care put into them. The exceptional artwork, made by guitarist Debbie Maasdam, is not only appealing, but also visually takes you back to the period the concept of the album is taking place. |
12 songs |
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42:15 minutes |
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***** *** |
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Genre: melodic death metal (self-released) |
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