The third studio album for most metal artists can be a pinnacle achievement in their career. Finally shedding the steady evolvement of band chemistry, initial influences, and songwriting acumen necessary to establish one’s own path, this is the juncture German death metal quintet Nightbearer sits at in their career for Defiance. At the time a trio during the recording process (Dominik Hellmuth handling all guitars, bass, and programming – since filled out by bassist Florian Böhmfeld and rhythm guitarist Tristan Schubert), the conceptual record is based upon a trilogy of English books by Sir Philip Pullman entitled His Dark Materials.
Expect the evolution of humanity’s emancipation from religious oppression across these nine main tracks (“Dust” being a short 52 second instrumental opener) – continually assaulting the consumers with a blackened melodic death metal style that’s HM-2 driven, savage as it is entrancing. Faster tempos careen against a tremolo-fueled set of runs, making “His Dark Materials” an ideal exercise in heaviness, the doom-fueled transitional sequence sinister next to the vicious growls and screams of Michael Torka. The main riffs Dominik displays along with supplementary harmony angles give off an ominous, evil vibe – even in a slower, more doom-laden track like “One Church over All”, where drummer Manuel Lüke lays down solid chops next to a stellar double kick showcase. Usually in these types of ‘conceptual’ themes, you need one track that explores longer terrain to set the scene in a different life – and that’s what you’ll get for the almost ten-minute “Ascension”. Everything from beautiful acoustic guitars to blackened speed electric riffs, blast beats, or growls/screams from the grave as well as a serene midsection soon gives chase to a progressive melodic death propulsion like Iron Maiden meeting Edge of Sanity in a chess match – its truly magnificence and a masterpiece for the band. For those that love classic Swedish melodic death metal from the 90s, look no further than instrumental “Until We Meet Again” – the cultural/harmony passages next to uplifting guitar lines mirroring the early days of In Flames.
Who knows if there will be another sequel based on this trilogy of books – as there is probably plenty to delve into for Nightbearer. For the time being, Defiance proves this band can execute a catchy brand of melodic death metal that’s as heavy as it is thoughtful – willing to expand horizons from doom to black textures for the greater good of each track. A marked improvement from Ghosts of a Darkness to Come, enough to keep a watchful eye on their progress.