Thresholds

Nocturnus return with their follow up to 1990's "The Key", and to many a fans dismay, seem to have abandoned certain aspects in favor of a more futuristic vibe. This, however, provided what may be the peak of the bands creativity in their unfortunately short career. Before this review gets started, I'd like to provide a quick disclaimer: several of the songs on this record open with a short display of sound samples which initially come off as cheesy to anyone expecting a traditional death metal record. But, as fans of experimental technical death metal are already aware, the only (and often times best) expectation should be that of the unexpected variety.

It has been said that Earache pressed the band into hiring a full-time vocalist (drummer Mike Browning formerly handled vocals, even live) due to the odd stage presence the band had with a drummer pulling double duty. Hanging an offer for a music video over their heads, the band hesitantly obliged. What would initially seem like a hasty move would turn out to be a great one; new comer vocalist Dan Izzo adds his vocal prowess to Nocturnus. This not only made for a much more atmospheric album, but it also gave Mike Browning a chance to focus entirely on his drumming.

The record opens with a short monologue that segues right into the first track "Climate Controller". Here we are given our first taste of vocalists Dan Izzo. His throaty, guttural approach is absolutely perfect for this recording. While Browning employed pulsating, traditional death metal vocals on "The Key", Izzo adds a more intelligible modern death feel here. This accents the fluidity of the music greatly by adding a much more articulate edge. He accents each song perfectly; from the all out vocal barrage on "Subterranean Infiltrator" (arguably the fastest vocals on the album) to the more traditional technique on "Alter Reality" and "Grid Zone", he conveys the lyrical content with conviction.

The absolute insanity of this record can be summed up with the following two names: Mike Davis and Sean McNenney. The guitar playing by these two is nothing short of incredible. Each song is full of sweeps, taps, and legato lines that will make even the most discerning guitar player drool. Often popping in after Izzo's vocal parts, they create considerable atmosphere among the albums eight tracks. What's more, they were incredibly young during the time of the recording (no more than 22 or 23 respectively), yet are capable of such fretboard acrobatics, they sound as if they had already playing for that many years. Sloppy, sour-note shred is not found here; instead we are treated to an aural tag-team attack of pure sonic bliss.

In between the barrage of notes flying past your ears at light speed, you'll hear the occasional well-placed synth line. Let it be known that keyboards, if harnessed correctly, can add immense atmosphere even with something as heavy and dense as this. Louis Panzer does a great job of utilizing a much more refined approach this go around, dipping in and out with complimentary melodies on "Arctic Crypt" and going full-throttle on the instrumental "Nocturne in Bm". The buzzing sounds during the intro to "Aquatica" are an excellent example of said atmosphere; they conjure up images of a morbid underwater graveyard, setting the scene for the song perfectly.

The bass playing of Chris Anderson is beyond adequate for what is being performed here; it plugs and chugs right along with the schizo-type arrangements (a staple of the genre at the time and even today) with great ease. Band leader and founder Mike Browning gives a stellar drumming performance; a much more technical yet clean (not straight forward blasting such as is heard on "The Key") style composed of thrash and double bass is perfectly blended so as to not obscure the songs atmosphere (which is probably THE defining factor for any recording of this immensity).

It is not my place to try and convey the sheer magnitude of this album through this review; I would hope to pique the curiosity of the reader and get them to experience it for themselves. A good pair of studio headphones will yield the full magic of this masterpiece. It is extremely unfortunate that Nocturnus was so short lived, as I feel they outshine most of today's modern technical metal while remaining extremely tangible in the process. This truly was the golden age, and "Thresholds" takes the listener through the landscapes of time, space, and reality of the genre. Often requiring the bending of the mind in the process, "Thresholds" remains a hugely underrated benchmark in technical metal.