Noturnall - Noturnall
Metalville
Power Progressive Metal
10 songs (48:00)
Release year: 2014
Metalville
Reviewed by Joel
Noturnall, a Brazilian band consisting of a lot of talented musicians. Sounding similar to Symphony X versus their countrymen in Angra. With ex-Angra drummer Aquiles Priester on board, with former members of the band Shaman around him. The disc starts with No Turn At All, which immediately has that in your face, latter Symphony X feel to it. Vocalist Thiago Bianchi has a lot of power in his vocals. From the almost thrashy verses to a very melodic chorus in which he changes his vocal delivery. The guitar playing is frentic and all over the place with a dizzying amount of technical display that is matched by each members of the band. A great keyboard solo can be heard in this song courtesy of the band's Juninho Carelli. Speaking of the Symphony X reference, you can hear Russell Allen as a guest vocalist on the next song, Nocturnal Human Side. The song has a really cool groove, that is equal parts heavy as it is technical. You can check out the song here. Zombies is an interesting song, that is somewhat atmospheric, and took me awhile to really get into. The brief guitar solo just after the two minute mark, is well played, and does separate the two very different parts that the song consists of. Master Of Deception, is a mid-paced song with a solid marching kind of feel to it. The chorus of this song is very melodic, and I like Bianchi's vocals on it, I do think he could have reigned back a little bit on the rougher vocals on this song, just to change it up a bit. That is just a personal nitpick, and not really a fault in the song. Like the songs before it, the song does change tempos, melodies, and at times has a feeling its two different songs in one. Although for Noturnall they make it work, and work damn good. The frenzied work of St. Trigger is next, again with insanely frentic guitar playing, and a solid drumming this song is a dazzling display of the band's musical proficiency. Unlike many other progressive metal bands, none of the band's solos(whether that be guitar or keyboard) sound like the band is trying to show off(or execute a high level of wankery). The song has one of the best melodic choruses on the entire disc, and shows a band capable of changing dynamics, from one measure to the next with ease.

The interestingly titled, Sugar Pill is next. Its intro and first verse almost have an AOR vibe to it(though the guitar playing is a big heavier for that). This song definitely stands out from the other songs that came before it. It is a big melodic song from start to finish. The somber and melancholic Last Wish is next, and this song resembles their previous mentioned countrymen. Bianchi shows another side to his repertoire, and he is definitely a singer versus a screamer. Hate opens with a multi-faceted vocal intro, but it goes into a heavy groove, before the song turns into something else. It is definitely another song, where you have no idea on first listen where the song is going to go. The last two songs on the disc, are the heavier Fake Healers, with its fast tempo and insane guitar solos, while the shortest song, The Blame Game is an acoustic guitar ballad. The band has obvious talent, and a great pedigree of the bands the members have been in before. While comparisons to previous or similar bands are easily evident, Noturnall definitely have an their own identity. That identity is not just one member of the band, but the whole band. Each member plays their instrument with precision, and the music is a combination of frentic arrangements, that are equal parts melodic and heavy. Easily recommended for fans, of progressive power metal.
Noturnall is:
Thiago Bianchi - Vocal
Fernando Quesada - Bass
Léo Mancini - Guitar
Juninho Carelli - Keys
Aquiles Priester - Drums
Killing Songs :
Nocturnal Human Side, Master Of Deception, Sugar Pill, St Trigger, Hate
Joel quoted 87 / 100
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