Have you ever aimlessly scrolled through Bandcamp’s top releases, only to be greeted by a band that has seemingly appeared out of thin air? I feel like this happens more times than not, especially with black metal and death metal. But every now and then a traditional metal band will come along who fits this bill, like Night Cobra. One day, nobody knew who on earth they were. The next, everyone and their mom was raving over their 2020 debut EP, In Praise of the Shadow. I vaguely recall checking it out once, but not much else.
So when it came time for Night Cobra to unleash their debut full length, Dawn of the Serpent, I figured I’d give them another shot and see what all the hype’s about. After all, in the two years that have passed since that EP, they’re now signed to High Roller Records (one of the most historically consistent labels of recent years) and set to play the upcoming Hell’s Heroes festival alongside heavyweights like Cirith Ungol, Dark Angel, and Candlemass. Clearly, they’re doing something right, or at the very least generating enough buzz among the “right” crowd of people.
With all this being said, I’m having trouble figuring out what the NWOTHM tastemakers of the interweb hear in these guys. Like so many others in their field, they’ve fully managed to capture the retro metal aesthetic, but fail to contribute anything to it in the long run. It’s a shame, because upon Dawn of the Serpent‘s opening cut, “Run the Blade”, I was curious. Here was traditional metal with an extremely raw production, bordering on demo quality. Musically, they can best be described as dark and epic, drawing from the well of Angel Witch, Satan, and Manilla Road. What could go wrong?
As the album progressed, each song started to bleed into the next, boasting the same run of the mill riffs, arrangements, and so on. In terms of musicianship, they sure can hold it down, but what good is that without memorable hooks? Yes, there’s occasional glimmerings on “Lost in Time” (specifically the chorus) and the power speed of “The Neuromancer’s Curse”. But these quickly get lost in a sea of Angel Witch/Satan rehashes (“Black Venom Dreams”, “For Those Who Walk the Night”, “Electric Rite”). Worse yet is the blatant aping of classic riffs, ones that everyone knows. “The Serpent’s Kiss” sounds like a slight variation of Judas Priest’s “Hell Bent for Leather”, while the opening of “In Mortal Danger” is a note for note rip of Agnostic Front’s “The Eliminator”.
If there’s something I’m not getting, feel free to correct me in the comments, but I’m pretty sure I’ve gotten the grasp of Night Cobra. It’s “style over substance metal” for the style over substance crowd, one who a decade ago wouldn’t have been caught dead listening to Judas Priest, let alone *insert obscure NWOBHM band here*. And I’m sure when the next big trend comes along, these folk will follow hook, line, and sinker. Until then, allow me to remind you: JUST BECAUSE IT’S 80S INSPIRED DOESN’T MEAN IT’S GOOD.
3 out of 10
Label: High Roller Records
Genre: Heavy Metal
For fans of: Angel Witch, Satan, Manilla Road