NOCTURNIS is a Black Metal band from the south of Germany, influenced by the surrounding Black Forest, most extreme metal genres and life itself. This album is a concept album that tells the story of a young soldier in the First World War, who is driven by his conscience into a no less harrowing inner struggle due to the atrocities he has experienced, which he ultimately loses. The album has six songs.

"Am Rande" is the first. An intense rage springs forth eternally, taking no prisoners. Some guitar harmonies build, but the angry vocals outweigh even the tight musical arrangements. This music is very violent. "Unsegen I" is another slab of aggressive and fast-moving metal with thumping bass notes alongside the wall of guitars and galloping drums. The intensity here is unmatched. "Unsegen II" is another rager that is as pure as the driven snow in its intentions. Like a caged serpent, it will lash out at you and grab you by the throat, not letting go until the last drop of venom is delivered into your system.

"Niedergang" is a beastly eight-minute song. We finally get some diversity, at least for the first couple minutes. Clean, somber tones open the song, leading to another impossibly fast grind of all out rage and aggression. There are some slower sections sandwiched between the madness but it's the fast groove that wins here. "Reue" features a slower grind with plenty of balls...although the song has a slower pace, it still sounds impossibly fast. The vocals are delivered exactly the same way as the other songs.

"Zerissenheit" closes the album. It breathes just a bit in the opening sequence, and it is nice to hear these tones from the band. This is the first real break in intensity we get on the album. Overall, this wasn't a bad album at all, but the intense style was a bit over the top for me. I need to hear more variation in the music...more diversity. Kudos to the band for being able to fill a thimble with a thousand pounds of water but that is all I can say is proper about the album. It's way to head-slamming for me.