Towards the end of 2021, those within the traditional metal community started going on about this new band from Germany, The Night Eternal, and their debut album, Moonlit Cross. It was one of those albums which, amidst the hype, I planned on reviewing and didn’t. When I didn’t get around to that, I told myself, “I’ll check it out in due time.” Before I knew it, TNE (for lazy abbreviation purposes) were ready to bestow upon us their sophomore album, Fatale. So I said to myself, “Guess I’ll start with this new one and work my way backwards.”
Upon first listen of Fatale, TNE is far from your run of the mill NWOTHM band. Their occult themed lyricism is set to a soundtrack of classic metal gone goth, which has been a growing trend in the wake of In Solitude’s 2015 split. While I enjoy 80s goth rock and live for 80s metal, the amalgamation of these two sounds are usually hit or miss for me. While I dig the blackened goth of Tribulation, the latest from Lunar Shadow left me scratching my head and Idle Hands/Unto Others never really clicked with me. That said, I went into Fatale with an open mind and two open ears.
The songs on Fatale seem to lie either on the goth side or metal side of the spectrum. Sure, the goth songs have those heavy riffs and the metal songs boast those dreary black-eyed undertones, but songwriting/arrangement wise, each cut lies in one or the other camp. The brooding opener “In Tartarus” and Love era The Cult-esque “Ionean Sea” owe a debt to old school goth, with their cryptic, dissonant guitar lines and overall sense of despair. Singer Ricardo Baum boasts a soulful, bellowing delivery reminiscent of Samhain era Danzig, which further adds to the overall mood of this album.
On the metal side of things are the galloping “Prince of Darkness”, power-goth “Stars Guide My Way”, and wicked “Prometheus Unbound”. Guitarists Henry (rhythm) and Rob (lead) draw heavily from all things old school. Whether it be the blistering rage of the NWOBHM, swords and sorcery of USPM, or infernal bliss of Mercyful Fate, these two twist and turn riffs and solos until they’re suitable for the band’s goth metal framework. Mind you, this is something I admire, even if Fatale doesn’t immediately click with me as a cohesive piece.
While the performances are strong and the production is faithfully retro, not every song on Fatale immediately strikes me. At best, I’m getting nuggets of 80s romanticism. At worst, I’m getting a euro rehash of Idle Hands. Perhaps if I were a fan of the latter, I’d be all over Fatale, praising it as an “album of the year” contender and playing it for all my friends. Instead, I’ll likely give it one more over before working backwards and checking out TNE’s debut, Moonlit Cross. Fatale is a good album indeed, but doesn’t accomplish much outside of channeling the ongoing goth metal niche. Perhaps I’d grasp it better if I died my hair a darker shade of black.
6 out of 10
Label: Ván Records
Genre: Gothic Metal
For fans of: In Solitude, Unto Others, Lunar Shadow