Metal Underground.com

Germany's Nachtblut is at the forefront of this new wave of "dark metal." What the band does sound like is symphonic gothic metal band with solid traditional metal style and a screeching black metal vocalist. The combination is not new to the scene, but "Antik" is a nice, refreshing change to the other types of metal this writer listens to on any given day.

Following the footsteps of many other German bands, the entirety of the "Antik" is in German, as well as the band's debut "Das Erste Abendmahl" in 2007. This album was originally self-released by the band in 2009. Now with a fresh deal from Napalm Records, Nachblut is receiving the backing of a good label and has re-released the LP with bonus tracks, while the band undoubledtly works on new material.

"Antik" is as enigmatic as the band itself. At first blush, it has all the exterior qualities of your typical Norwegian black metal band: corpse makeup, nearly illegible satantic logo, and a one word demonic name. One can only imagine just how much vocalist Askeroth sticks out, much like Nergal would on a Stryper album. In fact, the only time the band lives up to the image portrayed is on the song "Hexe" ("Witch"), which breaks out into a traditional black metal riff, if only for mere seconds.

However, most times one can only wonder whether Dokken didn't go slightly industrial and hire the local L.A. black metal kid. "Antik" is highly enjoyable melodic traditional metal in the truest sense (check out "Ijobs Botschaft" ("Job's Message"), "Die Blutgräfin" ("The Blood Countess") and "Kreuzigung" ("Crucifixtion")). There is also some beauty to go well with that bestial vociferation, especially on "Die Mutter Die Ihr Kind Verlor." Industrial elements are added to the slightly more acrid track "Sturz Des Ikarus" ("The Fall of Icarus").

As odd as this amalgamation is, Nachblut would be lost without the accompanying parts. Trying to picture the band with a traditional style vocalist would render the sound stale just as if the band was playing full tilt black metal. It is this mismatch that makes the band interesting, memorable and worth picking up.