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Cherry Red [Release date : 11.10.24]
French cult Metal band, Nightmare, released the album, Encrypted, last year. Their 12th since forming in 1979.
We reviewed it in GRTR a few months ago.
In another scoop for Cherry Red, remasters of the band’s first two albums – Waiting For The Twilight (1984) and Power Of The Universe (1985) – are being issued in a boxset, which includes a third disc composed of rare and unreleased material.
In the beginning, they were much more of a straight up Heavy Metal band, documented in these two “Early Years” albums.
CD1 includes 6 French language bonus tracks, and CD2, 4 bonus live tracks.
What are the qualifiers leading to the “cult” band appellation ?
Limited commercial success? Tick.
Devoted fanbase? Tick.
Unique sound or style? Mmmm…ok, Tick.
As much as any Heavy Metal band can be called unique, Nightmare’s rough, raw, raucous but frequently melodic early sound just about makes it.
Clearly influenced by NWOBHM, but equally showing the band has a distinct musical character, Waiting For The Twilight (CD1/1984) is an album of exciting urban metal, and even back then, it hinted at a relative sophistication that was already in development.
‘Trust A Crowd’, the majestic ‘Lord Of The Sky’, and the commanding title track have a strong, driven sense of ambition.
For The Power Of The Universe (CD2/1985), the band brought in new vocalist, Jean Marie Boix. His gritty vocals seem uncontrolled at times, making you wonder why they are further up in the mix than those of his predecessor, Christophe Houpert.
The songwriting is stronger this time, but there’s a sense that the band, already under leader Yves Campion’s tutelage, are unsure of their musical direction.
When they lean hard into Power Metal, as on the title track, and on ‘Diamond Crown’, you can see a future for the band. When they lose their nerve and stick to the safe ground of NWOBHM, as on ‘Running For The Deal’ and ‘Prowler In The Night’, you worry.
But that was then.
Only 7 tracks on Demos and Unreleased (CD3), but every one has a right to be there, and each is a peach.
Especially, ‘Hallucinations Directes’, the opening track. A garage metal demo that somehow missed the cut when the material written for the first two albums got whittled down to a chosen few.
‘Maudit Destin’ (Curse Your Destiny) is a demo quality demo. A garage meets prog metal masterpiece, imagining David Surkamp’s sinewy vocals over early NWOBHM.
The sound on the two “Garage Tapes Rehearsal” tracks is raw and unforgiving. But still, the blistering metal guitar mayhem of ‘Tu Es Damne’ and ‘Le Dilemme’ doesn’t need much translation.
It’s good to see the latest iteration of the band celebrating the lasting power of Waiting For The Twilight, with a live show in Grenoble, their home town, later this month.
New liner notes, new interviews and new pics round out a very special reissue. ****
Review by Brian McGowan
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