Night In Gales

Five Scars

Written by: PP on 03/01/2012 05:53:01

Night In Gales is a German melodeath band that formed around the height of popularity of the genre, back when all the classics were being released in a seemingly never-ending string of awesomeness from Gothenburg. They brought the classic Swedish sound to Germany, but never managed similar levels of success despite releasing four full lengths between 1995 and 2001. Since then, we've only heard from them briefly in the form of an EP in 2005, effectively making it ten years since a full length's worth of material has manifested from their camp. But melodeath is experiencing somewhat of a resurgence given how people got tired of metalcore in the last few years and went out looking for something else. Perhaps that's why Night In Gales have returned with their fifth studio album "Five Scars"?

In any case, Night In Gales is a fairly typical melodeath band all-around. They make it loud and clear that their inspiration lies in Gothenburg circa 1995, but at the same time there's no way they could've avoided the influence of modern styles in their music, and hence "Five Scars" is like a halfway point between 1995 melodeath and modern metal. There are even moments where they take cues from melancholic metal a la Sentenced in places, and surprisingly, it is here that the band are at their very best. "Days Of The Mute", for instance, combines the ripping leads from Gothenburg with a slower, cleanly sung, incredibly saddened passage that brings me the chills every time I hear it. "Void Venture" does something similar.

When the band are merely firing away at all melodeath cylinders, they are fast and play with convincing riffs, but there's very little that'd distinguish their touch on the genre from the dozens of other bands currently doing the same thing. All this despite their retrospective 1995 sound that peeks from underneath the modern Lifeforce production on occasion. And then there's the vocalist, who I would imagine is the main reason why Night In Gales never got a proper foothold. His scream is neither catchy nor powerful enough to draw attention, and lacks the thick roar style that made, for instance, the recent Nightrage album so good.

But these are petty things to complain about. Night In Gales are a fine melodeath band as they stand. All I'm saying is that they aren't ahead of the pack on "Five Scars", and sometimes you don't need to be to release quality music nevertheless.

7

Download: Days Of The Mute, Five Scars
For the fans of: In Flames in a more modern clothing
Listen: Myspace

Release date 04.11.2011
Lifeforce Records

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