It’s always refreshing to hear styles previously well-regarded decades ago getting some new blood injected into the mix for the current scene. Spanish quintet Rainover take on gothic/doom metal overtones through their second album Nox – the follow-up to 2013’s Transcending the Blue and Drifting Into Rebirth debut record. The lyrical themes touch on a premonition of darkness hitting Earth because of human greed and estrangement from nature – personal experiences told through various metaphors. The eleven tracks musically contain a vibrant aura that recalls a lot of 90’s gothic metal compatriots – adding commercial or left-field touches of despair to widen the proverbial playbook so to speak.
The guitar parts possess the right catchy on impact quality that along with the sultry, semi-operatic voice of Andrea Casanova will sweep listeners right off their feet upon initial exposure to winning cuts like “A Constant Tide” plus “False Saturn Devours”. Evanescence-styled keyboard tones from Arturo Hernández keep “Her Last Flight” into that mid-tempo gothic groove metal wheelhouse, drummer Quini Pelegrin laying into the heavier passages with that proper supplementary support to prop up the circular hooks. At other points the band dip their toes into Amaranthe/Battle Beast-type electronic movements wrapped around ideas that we’ve heard from Lacuna Coil, Within Temptation, and Tristania among others – “Vertigo” and “Lobo” both memorable songs because of their momentum shifting tendencies, be it softer to aggressive or airy to driving. The longest track “Lumina Omnia” at over seven minutes features a guest spot from Draconian vocalist Anders Jacobsson, offering that beast-like contrast that penetrates brilliantly next to Andrea’s passionate, clean delivery. While it’s been a decade since the last album hit the streets, Rainover may have been better served to trim this runtime down a song or two – as it’s an hour-long odyssey that may have some listeners reaching for something else after the 45–50-minute mark.
In a genre that needs some newer artists to get behind, Rainover possess all the required talent, ability, and songwriting skills to go places if positioned in front of the right live tours or festival opportunities. Nox reminds people that classic 90’s-driven gothic metal still has a place in the hearts of many worldwide.