Nox

Ixaxaar

Written by: PP on 19/04/2007 16:10:08

So apparently Nox are supposed to be a new death metal band that reminds us why the genre is so vibrant today, and why metalcore is dying off? That statement is lifted directly from the promo sheet of their debut "Ixaxaar", and I happen to principally disagree with it, which explains the negative tone I've chosen to write this album review with. First of all, since when has it been DEATH METAL instead of punk rock or hardcore that has been killing off metalcore? The latter was inspired by their very genre, and merely made it more melodic and more accessible for many more people, so for a band (or their management) to diss a genre which enlightened hundreds of thousands of people into the virtues of good metal is paradoxical and approaching idiocy to me, especially when their own effort is nothing more than a lackluster effort in their genre.

"Ixaxaar" is not reinventing the wheel for death metal, nor is it trying to distinguish itself from the grey mass in the genre. The vocals are growled in a typical death metallish manner, half originating from the throat, half from the lungs. The riffs follow the same technical structure as bands like Morbid Angel and Decapitation, serpenting from high to low in a razorsharp manner. Nothing new in the pummelling drums either, nor in the whole malicious vibe their ugly sound exhibits. So why exactly are they being so hostile against a genre that, in almost all aspects, exceeds the material that "Ixaxaar" no matter how you twist it? My guess is jealousy.

That being said though, it's not that "Ixaxaar"'s songs are bad. They are technically proficient, and have enough blast beats to brutalize any pit that derives from their live show. The lyrics are deeply anti-religious, with titles ranging from "Insane Hatred For The Supposed Creator" to "The Jesus Sect", and though chaos rattles all around the disc, a sense of organization is found in the rigid and robust instrumentals through the album. But what does make me scratch my head with this like so many other releases from this genre, is the monotoneousness and lack of variety that plagues nearly every song. I would at least like to hear some kind of advancement in sound, an incentive to look forward to the next track instead of just expecting the same, just with different growl patterns and drum sequences. But should you be into bands like Cattle Decapitation, Morbid Angel and Decapitated, Nox's debut might be what you're looking for, otherwise, consider skipping this one over.

5

Download: Insane Hatred For The Supposed Creator
For the fans of: Decapitated, Morbid Angel, Angelcorpse
Listen: Myspace

Release date 05.03.2007
Earache
Provided by Target ApS

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