NYCTALOR – I: The Collapse

As mentioned in the introduction, NYCTALOR give us only two tracks for our first encounter with the band, but neither is interested in making that introduction easy.'The Harrowing' immediately surrounds us with an incredibly dense and suffocating atmosphere, built on heavily distorted riffs and slow, brooding drums. Aggressive vocals initially growl from somewhere deep within the soundwall before gradually forcing their way forward, shifting between cavernous lows and agonising screams. Subtle traces of melody occasionally break through the bleakness like brief glimpses of hope, but they never last long. Honestly, I had to stop the music for a moment, the sheer crushing weight became almost physical. Around the 5:30 mark, the pace increases slightly, yet rather than offering relief, it feels as though an enormous wave of sound is closing in, ready to drown you completely. The vocals finally claw their way up from the abyss as the drums become less restrained, pushing the harshness even further. What an introduction. 

‍

'The Snares' is our second track and already the closer, but this experience is far from over – prepare to lose yourself completely in the music. The vocals enter considerably more aggressive than on the opener, while faster, more commanding drums take the lead without losing that brutal undertone. Nothing here feels comfortable. As the composition progresses, the vocals become increasingly urgent and pain-laden, until around the three-minute mark that familiar crushing, slow-moving weight closes in once again. Yet somehow, 'The Snares' feels alive, almost as though the composition itself is breathing beneath all that pressure. A more groove-oriented approach adds yet another layer before blast beats suddenly cut through the mix and the vocals finally abandon all restraint, poisonous, spiteful and practically spat into your face. And just when you think you understand NYCTALOR, everything pulls back into an almost calm passage, led by a heavy bass line and more melodic drumming. It feels like the preparation for war, and that's exactly what follows. One final battle arrives, cold, devastating and emotionally draining, before the cymbals slowly fade and suddenly... it's over.

‍

With "I: The Collapse", NYCTALOR don't simply introduce themselves, they engulf you. Across two sprawling compositions, crushing heaviness, dissonance and suffocating atmosphere constantly shift between bleak restraint and devastating eruptions. Subtle melody and groove occasionally offer something to hold onto, only for the darkness to close in again. An exhausting, immersive and remarkably powerful debut that leaves you needing a moment to breathe once the final cymbal fades.

‍

SCORE 8.5

REVIEWED BY SWAMPY