To many friends, and especially the wife, my ability to harp on something until it’s been smashed into a fine powder is well-known. Mostly bad puns, but in this instance, bands that don’t receive the accolades that yours truly believes they’ve earned. It’s a hearty list, but near the top of it is Germany’s Night in Gales. Their innovation in the burgeoning melodic death metal scene in the mid-90s simply didn’t receive the full attention that their Swedish brethren did back in the day. Why that is, it’s anybody’s guess. Geography in relation to the Gothenburg hotbed, timing, luck of the draw – who’s to say? The reality is that from the swath of bands who were part of the formation and rise of that sound, Night in Gales created some of the most hard-hitting and memorable music that have taken up that direction, and are one of the few still doing it with indelible proficiency.
Arguably, some of the five-piece’s most accomplished work has come in recent times, and their productivity has been just as impressive. Knocking out three phenomenal albums between 2018 and 2023 is by no means easy. With certainty, another new full-length just over 14 months after the incredible The Black Stream (also my album of the year) was not on the old bingo card for 2024. Yet, here we are, with Night in Gales’ ninth record, Shadowreaper.
At this point, the initiated generally have an idea of what to expect – scrumptious harmonies, a furious pace, and riffs with more snap than a perfectly prepared brätwurst. The bad jokes continue, but I digress. One does have to wonder that with such a short timespan since The Black Stream, does the band have enough ideas to remain fresh and not stagnate, like so many other slingers of melodeath have. Succumb to preconceived notions at your peril – these dudes still got it. This notion becomes evident quickly via “Into the Evergrey”; setting up with a catchy clean section that craftily transitions into a ravishing lead melody, lodging itself into your frontal lobe with haste. The pace is furious, with plenty of variation and virility ultimately leading to an incredibly dynamic track. The well-placed whispered vocal passages and crunchy middle section really nail this piece down for these ears, along with bassist Tobias Bruchmann’s additional snarls (both on this and a few other tracks) to add further levels of differentiation.
Continuing with “The Horrors of Endlessness” gives a more sinister aesthetic, driven home by way of an eerie, brooding lead. The guitarists Basten – brothers Jens and Frank – wield a rare chemistry that leads to a back-and-forth of harmonies and riffage as smooth as the late Franz Beckenbauer (one of the greatest footballers of all time, and a late German legend, for those not in the know). Tracks like “The Nihilist Delta” are amongst the sonically darkest yet equally emotive the band have produced to date. Lead vocalist Christian Müller digs deep by way of decisive, guttural growls to compliment his trademark raspy scream, elevating the song’s already high potency. When layered with brooding clean passages, to say in German, es ist wunderbar.
With a view to the whole package, Shadowreaper is more disconsolate and ominous than any of their previous releases. “Spirals” contains a downtrodden quality while overflowing with tasty lead work; “Dead Inside” includes a hair of a blackened tinge in key moments. “Sculptured and Defleshed” is an exquisite example of rhythmic precision – drummer Adriano Ricci steers the ship with a deft and powerful touch, while Bruchmann’s bass lines add a measured heft to the quicker and methodical moments alike, combining to propel what is one of the album’s more stirring entries. Closer “Walk of Infinity” ends Shadowreaper with a bang, amounting to be a blistering and direct composition that ends ceremonies on a delectable high. Furthermore, album artist extraordinaire Paolo Girardi’s cover art matches the sonic tonality to perfection. This was also the first time the band has worked with legendary producer Fredrik Nordström, and his deft ear and feel is all over the record in the best of ways.
That classic early melodic death metal ethos isn’t strayed away from on Shadowreaper – to the contrary, that sound remains as the very spirit of Night in Gales, but they’ve managed to add a few fresh ingredients to serve up a new variation of a classic dish. Night in Gales again have written an album with a nimble, focused touch that also manages to be a thrilling ride. At a smidgeon over 36 minutes in length, Shadowreaper is a tight and compact listening experience that’s easy to jump into, while giving the hardcore melodeath purists a fathom of depth and detail to make many repeated listens infinitely rewarding. Night in Gales continues to craft enduring, impactful music that further engrain their undeniable discography into the long and sometimes turbulent novel that is melodic death metal. Here’s to hoping the December release date doesn’t hurt them too badly when it comes to year-end lists, because Shadowreaper should throw a lot of well-laid plans into complete disarray. As for this writer, it’s time to kick back and give this thing another spin or ten, with a delicious Mezzo Mix in hand.