After more than three decades and nine albums, NIGHTMARE has had to undergo some personal changes over the years with various members leaving and being replaced by others. After recently losing both their frontman Jo Amore as well as their drummer David Amore, the only remaining member and founder of the band bassist Yves Campion wasted no time in finding new colleagues with whom he proceeded to record this their 10^th release in the form of "Dead Sun." Were one to be unfamiliar with the band, at first glance you could be forgiven for thinking that NIGHTMARE were just another Goth or Melodic Death Metal band just to realise upon closer inspection that nothing could be further from the truth, instead of the aforementioned style what you get instead is a combination of traditional Metal and Melodic Rock and while the Metallic content has the upper hand there is also an undeniable melodic component to the songs on offer courtesy of the stellar guitar work and new Vocalist Maggy Luyton. Starting with "Infected," the opening track demonstrates that the band have moved away from their more traditional heavy metal sound to a more modern and heavier sound and while this might surprise some of their earlier fans this new approach works surprisingly well even though Maggy's vocals don't seem to gel 100% with the songs arrangements. Next track "Of Sleepless Minds" sees the vocals better integrated into the mix, the song itself coming across as a combination of  groove with an almost thrash type attack and a somewhat epic quality due to the guitar work on offer.

"Red, Marble and Gols" is another strong song with an infectious grove and powerful vocals that go hand in hand perfectly with the riffs, the chorus of rise and fall and perfectly integrated and minimally used gang shouts giving it an anthemic quality, a perfect song to get the crowd animated. What is also noticeable is that the lyrics seem to deal with contemporary issues rather than the sometimes rather fantastical lyrical content of other bands playing this type of Metal, the vocals being delivered with conviction and power by Maggy who it turns out was the perfect fit to replace their previous frontman. Title track "Dead Sun" starts off with kids screaming and with what sounds like Flood or air raid sirens and with lyrics that seem to reflect the dark and war infested nature of our times. "Seeds of Agony" is another solid track with epic riffs and another powerful vocal performance. Closing song "Starry Skies Gone Black" is a fitting closer to what has been a thoroughly enjoyable Melodic Modern Metal ride, starting off slowly before being dominated by a strong double bass performance and anthemic guitar leads supported by a galloping rhythm and a pounding bass groove. Those that love their Metal melodic and heavy will thoroughly enjoy this album and while the bands style has changed slightly from more traditional sounds to a more modern approach, older fans of the band should not be disappointed with what is on offer here.