Nyxborn – 'Δαιμονολόγιο': The bridge between Heavy and Black Metal

After the first taste we got with the single 'Exiled In Arrakis', the band offers us a complete, musical metal experience.

A musical bridge

The Nyxborn bridge the gap between traditional Heavy Metal and Black Metal. Almost quietly, they've already reached their third full release, the album Δαιμονολόγιο. The outfit, made up of one person handling everything, impresses with the fullness, the directness, and the atmosphere of the compositions.

The first taste

The single Exiled in Arrakis gave us the most fitting preview of what to expect, and indeed the album operates at exceptionally high levels with very strong songwriting. The black-metal side of Nyxborn shows up both in the aesthetic side and in a wealth of riffs that nonetheless don't forsake their Greek and Mediterranean origins, at times evoking Varathron, and at others early Rotting Christ and Mortuary Drape.

These influences automatically also encompass heavy metal as the starting point and foundation of the metal sound. It's no accident, after all, that they chose to close the album with a Pentagram cover. In fact, Nyxborn Nyxborn deliver Sign of the Wolf through their own personal lens. They do the same with their cover-rendition of the classic rebetiko song "Νύχτωσε Χωρίς Φεγγάρι," where they make an incredible connection to Greek musical tradition and, more broadly, to the music of the wider southeastern European region — something that will surely strike a chord with many.

The album we have in our hands

In the stretch before the 2 aforementioned tracks that close the album, Nyxborn Nyxborn besides Exiled in Arrakis which is based on Frank Herbert's 1965 science fiction novel Dune, give us another 6 very strong tracks. These are 6 hellish blackened heavy metal compositions influenced mainly by NWOBHM and Iron Maiden of the Piece of Mind and Powerslave era. In fact, the vocals in some spots recall Bruce Dickinson of that period.

Beyond that, there are clear references to Judas Priest, as well as to American heavy metal. At times the whole endeavour brings to mind mid-period Bathory (Blood Fire Death, Hammerheart, Twilight of the Gods). The production sits at a very satisfying level. Now, on the technical side, the outfit manages to convey emotion, and without wasting time on needless technical showing-off, focuses on the substance. Still, every instrument has character and sits in the right place to serve the final result.

Standouts are Exiled in Arrakis, Solomon's Daemons, Maiden of Black Dreams and Setekh within a truly excellent album. Nyxborn Nyxborn clearly have tremendous ideas and pull them off with great ease. I hope we get to see this outfit live at some point, because they really deserve it. Listen to the album and you'll see for yourselves.