Band: Nether
Album: The Blood of Rats
Genre: Black Metal
Country: Belgium
Label: Void Wanderer Productions
Released: July 25th, 2024
Introduction
If you ask me what’s a country that produces good quality black metal these days, I would probably say France and Belgium. Nether, a black metal band from the latter, is back with a new full-length album. Their previous album Between Shades and Shadows was released 4 years ago and was my Album of the Year for 2020.
Their new album is called The Blood of Rats, and the band has this to say about their new album and the meaning of the title;
“The Blood of Rats” is not just an album; it’s a battle cry against the pervasive forces in our society that resemble rats, constantly trying to infect and erode what we hold dear. With this album, Nether invites you to stand against the tide and reclaim your glory.
Nether
That’s a bold statement if you ask me, and which such a bold statement, I expect some fierce riffs and pummelling drums. That was the case on their previous album, so let’s see if that still the case on this new album.
The Blood of Rats
As said, a bold statement, but let’s start off with what it brings to the table. The Blood of Rats, contains 7 new tracks with a runtime of almost 43 minutes and none of them are instrumental. The production of the album is great. I liked the sound of the previous album and this one seems to be a continuation of that sound. It’s a bit heavier (thicker) here and there, but overall, it sounds good.
Track list:
- For Your Own Glory
- The Dawn of Autumn
- No Proof of Light
- The Blood of Rats
- There’s No Horizon
- Bow for Your Redeemer
- The Obelisk
The band named this a “it’s a battle cry against…” and you really do get that feeling while listening to this album. There is a ferocity behind the tracks that feels like a battle cry. The vocals of J. help with that feeling of a battle cry. Those vocals and the drums that just keep going give it a very nice pace. This record just keeps going, but compared to the previous album it’s a bit less fast-paced, at least to my ears.
That less face-paced feeling is mainly due to some riffs they use. For example, on the 4th track, The Blood of Rats, the opening riff is slow and very heavy (which I really like) but it does make for a slower start. Those kinds of riffs are used more often on this album. The track does pick up and has some fast-paced sections. But the overall feeling is that the album is a tad slower than the previous one.
One of my favorite tracks on the album is the sixth one Bow for Your Redeemer, it just has a complete package, drums that keep going, pleasant riffs and the vocals to match the aggressiveness of the song.
Conclusion
So we come to the conclusion, and what does this conclude? This new album The Blood of Rats by Nether is a good continuation of their previous album Between Shades and Shadows. Music wise, it’s all very well packaged. The only thing I would love to hear on the next album is a bit more variation on the album. The tracks on this album all soundalike and when an album lasts 25 minutes that’s okay(ish) but when lasting 43 minutes, a bit more variation would be enjoyable.
All in all, it’s a decent album, and if you are a fan of Melodic black metal, you should give this a try. And after you’ve done that, you can also try their debut album (if you haven’t heard that already).
BMZ Rating: 7 – Good: A solid and enjoyable album overall. It boasts strong songwriting and performance quality, delivering a cohesive and satisfying listen.
Your thoughts and rating for The Blood of Rats
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