(written by Islander)
“Noctambulist stand for contrasts. Serotonin summits and strung-out canyons. The empty and the grandiose. The beautiful and the appalling.”
That’s how this Dutch band represent their own music, and when you listen, it makes a lot of sense. In more prosaic terms, they could be considered a “melancholic” black metal band, albeit one that draws inspiration from other genres such as post-rock, shoegaze, new wave, and post-punk.
They released their full-length debut Noctambulist I: Elegieën via Northern Silence Productions in 2021, and now they’re following that with a new album named Noctambulist II: De Droom that will come out in February on These Hands Melt.
So far, two singles from the album have appeared. The second one, “Lichteter,” surfaced in mid-November, and today we’re premiering a beautifully made video that evokes key features of the song’s themes.
On the new album Noctambulist dive deeper into post-punk and shoegaze influences, as compared to Elegiëen, but they haven’t abandoned the ferocity apparent on that first album. “Lichteter” is a clear example of both points.
We’ll confidently assert that you can’t sit still listening to this song. It compulsively gets heads and legs moving (and any other muscles that react reflexively when you listen to something with a propulsive beat). But it is also the kind of song that swirls the mind, grips the heart, and assaults the ears.
The band have characterized the track’s themes this way:
“Lyrically the song explores the desire for a stable albeit mediocre future only to discover the present has fallen apart in the meantime. It is emblematic of the themes found on much of the songs throughout the album. It falls in a comfortable transition between the harsher tones found on Elegieën and the experimental nature of De Droom.”
The song’s beautifully ringing and frantically pulsating opening notes, combined with throbbing beats, pull from new wave and post-punk antecedents, but the scorching screams, hammering drums, and searing guitars that soon arrive bring out the blackgaze.
The music sears and soars, with chiming and siren-like notes elevating its intensity, punctuated by sharp slashes and slugging jolts. In the midst of that, a trilling lead guitar slithers and shines, carrying a captivating melody that seems wistful and desperately yearning.
The beats change, but never lose their grip. The shrieked vocals also never lose their frightening and furious intensity. That lead-guitar melody surfaces again in the midst of the throbbing grooves and sleet-storm riffing, and then carries the song by itself to the end.
As noted above, the video by Olga Kann is beautifully made — mysterious yet evocative of what the song is about.
Regarding the album as a whole, Noctambulist have provided this comment:
“While De Droom is not a concept album most songs reflect on the beauty of a mediocre co-habitual existence while also struggling with the seemingly impossible dream of homeownership. The album cover features a bedroom of a derelict villa, reflecting the themes of hope, failure and heartbreak present on the album.”
NOCTAMBULIST are:
J.D. Kaye – Vocals & Guitar
Stef Heesakkers – Guitar
Tristan Tabbers – Guitar
Sam C.A. – Bass
Mitchell Scheerder – Drums
De Droom was recorded in Tilburg between February and April 2023 at Catacomben Studios. It will be released by These Hands Melt on February 7th in CD, vinyl, and digital formats. Find useful links below, as well as a stream of the first single from De Droom, “Aderlater.”
That previous single is another stirring example of how Noctambulist have hybridized post-punk, shoegaze, and black metal, but leans even further into post-punk (among other things, it includes singing as well as screaming). You won’t sit still to this one either.
PRE-ORDER / PRE-SAVE:
https://lnk.to/noctambulist
NOCTAMBULIST:
https://noctambulistofficial.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/noctambulistofficial
https://www.facebook.com/noctambulistband