It comes as a tradition, like taking pleasure by personally molesting one's self. This is us, you and me, our race, our world, slowly embarking in a course of destroying ourselves. Sometimes it would appear that mankind's ill will towards its existence became as a chaotic race, who annihilates who first and you can observe this phenomenon closely nowadays. So apparently there no actual news here. The Swedish NIGHTRAGE had to point out once again that our time on this Earth is limited, and that we are the sole masters of our fate. Well, a point well made, again. Swarming throughout their brand new album, "The Venomous", their 7th in number and under the helm of Despotz Records, a version of our reality comes back to life and it doesn't look pretty. One thing is certain though, the music remained the same.

NIGHTRAGE has always played an important role as one of the old Gothenburg Melodic Death Metal scene's prime constants, unbroken by the subgenre's shift towards mainly riff based grooves and Hardcore infested metabolism. As if a totem to their existence, NIGHTRAGE, led by Marios Iliopoulos, never abandoned their melodic direction, a course that only garnered them much influence. "The Venomous", presenting the band's full lineup since several years, took on an even catchier form in comparison to its predecessor, "The Puritan". I guess that the idea was to form a brutal line of attack, which is clearly evident, yet with immersing suited savagery with a sufficient amount of memorable passages and choruses to keep the buzz strong. Probably that was the reason why this release sounded like an incarnation of the past IN FLAMES albums of the 90s, back when they were actually a talented band.

There is nothing on "The Venomous" that is under a cloak of fog, everything is out in the open, melodically slick and sick, devastating with its rhythm guitar riffs, unforgiving with its soaring growl vocals, simply made with a degree of good taste. To be honest, I couldn't expect anything less, as if NIGHTRAGE has been bound to be this kind of band that relays its message in a sort of way that would easily penetrate through people's minds. In overall the album's level is similar to "The Puritan", as the band has been maintaining its composure, and it bared ultimate hits to be a part of the subgenre's pantheon. "Catharsis" rapidly became my personal favorite, a tune with the utmost awesomeness of extreme Metal, combining both old school and modern forms, lethal with is chorus and uncompromising with its melodies. "Trail of Ghosts" and "Desolation and Dismay" comprise of the band's intense riffery and of course a set of absolute choruses that wouldn't leave any room for doubt of the songwriting talents. "Metamorphosis / Day of Wrath" is the album's picture of Death Metal brutality, blasting beating its way into crudeness, one of the band's toughest.

Another major success in my view for this band, an album that was well created and hopefully will take the band higher in the ladder. They deserve it.