CoC : Nomicon - Halla : Review

Nomicon - _Halla_
(Sagitarius Productions, 2001)
by: Brian Meloon (8 out of 10)

Finland's avant-garde black metallers Nomicon have returned with their second full-length album. This album is similar to their debut _Yellow_, but it seems more accessible. Their sound is keyboard-heavy black/death metal, comparable to Nokturnal Mortum's excellent _Goat Horns_ [CoC #31], especially in the way that multiple keyboard parts are layered. However, Nomicon's keyboards generally go for more of a spooky vibe, with angular lines and unconventional phrasing. I'm often reminded of a horror movie soundtrack, or something like Diabolical Masquerade's _Death's Design_ [CoC #54]. As Nokturnal Mortum did, Nomicon find a good mix between the guitar-driven and keyboard-driven parts. Neither dominates their sound, though both take turns driving the music. The vocals are done in a low-register raspy style and neither add to nor detract from the music. The production is clear and powerful, and the playing is competent. This is a pretty cool disc, and should picked up by those with a taste for avant-garde black metal.

(article published 1/9/2002)