NEBUNAM — Nebunam (review)

NEBUNAM — Nebunam album cover EP · 2008 · Black Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
2/5 ·
Vehemency
Without a doubt, nature and winter inspired black metal has been very common lately, and this could be said to be the category of Nebunam’s epynomous first offering too, though we are clearly not talking about any clone band because Nebunam provides some unique melodies here. Unfortunately, that’s not enough in making a good record, but more about the downsides later.

Consisting of just two long tracks, it doesn’t hurt to describe them both individually: the 14-minute ”A Winter’s Tale” begins the album with an epic guitar riff - a really sweet one that gets stuck in my head often - that recurs in many parts of the track, the mood somewhere between sorrow and hope. A non-distorted guitar interlude (plus some screeching guitar experimentation) happens in the breakdown section in the middle of the track until the song returns again to the grandiose atmosphere just like the song started. ”Sturm” attacks with blast beats but isn’t still an aggressive piece really. The riffs here aren’t as memorable as on the previous track and it requires more spins to sink in. But the ethereal, blue-colored atmosphere is still there, very much in the vein of the cover art. Vocals are in the rather usual black metal screaming vein, with English lyrics on the first and German lyrics on the second track.

While the compositions themselves are fairly well done, the band struggles in other departments, namely in the final outcome of the music: some transitions between parts sound very awkward and during those moments one can hear how some parts are just put together in the editing process. But the biggest complaint goes to the programmed drums: real ones are quite a requirement in atmospheric compositions like these, but what we have here is a really machine-like sound that I would rather hear on an industrial black metal album. During the mid-tempo ”A Winter’s Tale” it’s bearable, but sounds really awkward and mood-killing in the blast beats of ”Sturm”.

Due to these glitches, it’s hard to give Nebunam’s debut EP a favorable rating. There’s most certainly potential in this band, as especially ”A Winter’s Tale” suggests, and if a few crucial flaws are to be fixed on the second effort - assuming such will come - I am sure I’ll enjoy it. Plus points for the musical style that doesn’t borrow too obviously from any other bands, and good cover art, though that could do better with a less harassing logo placement.
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