Nodus Tollens - Melancholic Waters Ablaze With the Fires of Loss

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Depressive Black Metal seems to be a broader musical genre with different ways of playing. This aspect calls the attention of the listeners, because there are bands that prefer a more aggressive and nasty sound in the way of the SWOBM, others prefer something cleaner and defined (that puts the musical work near of what German EMPYRIUM plays). But sometimes some try to mix these two aspects, as the North American NODUS TOLLENS shows on “Melancholic Waters Ablaze With the Fires of Loss”.

As a one man band, it expresses the musical ideas and thoughts of one person, a particular insight that brings together the nasty and dirty approach of the past with some clean and tender melodic Doom/Gothic elements. And this musical expression made of contrasts works in a very good way, full of energy and that can bring a funeral and depressive ambiance tempered with a nasty aggressive insight. And it’s different from what many already did, so it deserves praises. But Cicatrix (the mastermind of the band) committed a sin on the album: to use such crude approach on the sound quality during the aggressive parts. It makes the listening and understanding of what the band wanted to express on these moments a hard work. Maybe a cleaner sonority (just a bit, please) on these moments would help the band.

Musically, the songs of “Melancholic Waters Ablaze With the Fires of Loss” are pretty samples of a creative band that really shows potential. The contrasts between melodic and tender parts shown on “Hexenwald || Wölfinninwald” and “Willowing” (the mix of tender parts using some distorted guitars is really a great idea), and the Old School Black Metal approach used on “Ursa Majora” and “Ad Meliora” are really very good ideas. If the sound quality could be better, this album would be remarkable.

Oh, by the way, the ones who buy the CD physical copy will have as bonus “Morir de Fam” and “Vulpes Pilum Mutat”, songs from the split with CROWN OF ASTERIA. It means that everything that NODUS TOLLENS released will be in your hands in an easy way! “Melancholic Waters Ablaze With the Fires of Loss” can be faced as a good first album, but NODUS TOLLENS has potential to sail much deeper waters in the band’s musical genre.

Songwriting: 7
Musicianship: 8
Memorability: 7
Production: 4