Top shelf debut for Opeth and Katatonia fans
Founded by Perth (Western Australia) guitarist Daniel and drummer Ben Mazzarol (Who was once a member of Chaos Divine and Pathogen, and now is a member of Vespers Descent), the pair spent the better part of the last couple of years putting together a full line-up. Over time, Noctis eventually solidified their ranks, with the addition of lead vocalist/keyboardist Sam Terlick (Ex-Bereavement/Anacrisis), guitarist Gavin Foo (Who was recently relaced by ex-Scourge/current Psychonaut/Voyager guitarist Simone Dow) and bassist/backing vocalist Alex Canion (Psychonaut/Voyager). As time progressed, the growing band carefully honed their sound and style, which is more than evident on the band’s debut outing For Future’s Past.
In a lot of ways, the moniker chosen by the band is rather befitting. Noctis, which is Latin for ‘of the night’, sounds very much like a cross between Opeth, latter day Katatonia and Novembre, which puts them somewhere within the progressive/melodic death metal genre. But where Noctis stand out a little from the countless other groups attempting to recreate the same sombre style of music, are the doom influences that creep in from time to time. The E.P. is opened up with a beautifully atmospheric instrumental piece entitled Time. Unlike a lot of other introductions, Time actually feels like a piece of music that can stand on its own, which more than sets the scene for the remainder of the disc.
A strong Opeth influence can be heard and felt in the follow-up track Remembrance Of Death. From the growled vocals, the progressive tinged guitar work and the constant shifts from big heavy riffs to acoustic passages, the song has Opeth written all over it, without sounding too much like the band to brand them as plagiarists. Of Emptiness is the first track to feature Terlick’s clean vocals (some growled efforts are heard toward the end), which brings a Katatonia/Novembre feel to Noctis’ sound. The stunning An Eternity’s Worth further reinforces the said influences, but with an ever changing shift between the melodic and the aggressive dynamics in the song writing. After another brief instrumental in Nostalgia (That essentially picks up where Time left off), Noctis finish up the E.P. with The Meaning Dies Within, which again brings a seamless mix of Opeth and latter day Katatonia together in the one song.
Prior to the release of For Future’s Past, I had heard little about Noctis. But after hearing their debut effort, I’ll certainly be keeping an ear out for the band’s next release. If you’re a fan of Opeth, Katatonia and Novembre, then you’ll be sure to enjoy Noctis’ For Future’s Past to no end. For a debut, this really is a first class effort.
(Prime Cuts Music/M.G.M. Distribution)
