Metal Underground.com

Two years after mashing up symphonic black metal with industrial and groove on “Dogma,” Nachtblut goes for another round of genre mixing with “Chimonas.” While even a casual listener can immediately tell its the same band this time around, there's been a shift in balance, with more of the symphonic and less of the industrial, along with some new additions to the sound that weren't present on the last release.

Props have to be given to Nachtblut for not just repeating the same sound this time, although unfortunately the change meant that the first track didn't immediately grab me like the previous album did. Second track “Wien 1683” quickly changes tactics though, opening up with medieval trumpets and going for an historical sound. They may be a little out of place on the first listen, but at least the band is trying something different.

Around third track, “Wie Gott Sein,” Nachtblut hits its stride and the mix of Rammstein and Cradle Of Filth that made the last release so stellar comes out front and center (the screeched vocals and backing synths on the ending to “Und immer wenn die Nacht anbricht” are classic Cradle Of The Filth to the max). From this point onward, the album really flows well together, and it seems like each song was crafted with the ideal of sliding one into the other instead of just being different cuts placed side by side.

Even within the context of Nachtblut's trademark sound, there's still a wide range of musical styles across the album. The title track throws in a thrashier pace with epic backing keys for a Gothic horror feel, while seventh song “Dort wo die Krähen” slowly builds up and layers all the elements perfectly atop one other with a bursting energy. All of the songs have a serious underlying groove, so there's always a strong melody at work no matter how heavy or extreme the music and vocals get.

Metal genre purists (specifically on the black metal side) are probably going to hate “Chimonas” (a plus in my book), but if you dig symphonic style metal that's not afraid to experiment, the album is a winner. From the Gothic keyboards on “Tote Mich” to the Rammstein (but heavier!) feel on “Kalt wie ein Grab,” there's a great mix of sounds on “Chimonas” that will strongly appeal to fans of the last few releases from Nachtblut, all without getting stuck in a repetitious rut.