Metal Maniac

Whenever you have a bad day, music will always improve it in its limitations, of course. Today has been a terrible day for me, as some of the readers of this website know; I have had a horrible year concerning my health, lung problems, surgery, another one schedule and more respiratory issues to overcome. These are the times in which I prefer to be left alone; nothing cheers me up, except for music. And discovering new bands is indeed something that uplifts me.

Well, in my search for new sounds, I have heard the band Neo Noir. They hail from Los Teques, Venezuela, a beautiful country if you ask me. This nation boasts the Caribbean’s longest coastline, if you are interested in beaches and there are many other natural aspects that are very interesting to visit. However, as always, I digress. I simply love travelling and I try to “promote” not only the music, but also this that is, in my humble opinion, one of the most rewarding experiences.

Back to the band, they state that the musical genre of Neo Noir is Nostalgic Black Metal, which indeed fits quite well their sound. There is something wistful about it, contemplative, dreamy and in a way, a bit melancholic. Of course, the aggressive, bombastic elements of Black Metal are present in their début full-length album “Neo-Noir”. In their own words, “Neo-Noir” is a journey into time and tragedy. The first full-length of this Venezuelan band is filled with nostalgia and sadness. Eight songs of Nostalgic Black Metal made to transport you to another time.

I find the way that they used the keyboards, for example, perfect to bring a gloomy aspect into the music, never sounding cheesy or overused, while contrasting with the abrasive shriek vocals and the melodic, imposing guitars. The band managed to create a beautiful, powerful sound, in a very praiseworthy way of displaying in music all of their disappointments, longing and grief in a period of time which we all live in dark moments and, for many, hopelessness futures. I am absolutely sure that this is not the intention of the band, but, after listening to this alluring jewel, I’ll sleep with a smile on my face, for, one more time, I am surprised with the quality of newer bands. Neo Noir deserves, in my modest view, a broader audience.

As for the production quality, all sounds fine for the musical genre. In all fairness, this is a highly impressive album, so, if you are looking for nostalgic, sentimental music, but still fierce and revolted, please, I urge you to legally give them a chance by listening the album at Neo Noir official Bandcamp page. If you happen to like what you heard, and I advise you to listen to the album “Neo-Noir” in its entire version and not a few samples, I ask you to support or promote them in any possible way.

Take care.

Grade: 9,7/10

Band: Neo Noir

Album: Neo-Noir (2015)

Label: Independent/ Depressive Illusions Records/ Amenti Records/ Winterwolf Records

Tracklist:

1. Intro – Marcha Hacia el Pasado
2. Hospital de Enajenados
3. El Llanto de los Páramos
4. Sorrow
5. Manicomio de la Esperanza
6. A Sad and Unknown Love Story
7. La Gran Villa Teola
8. Neo Noir – The End

Neo Noir is:

Simón Torres – Bass

José Morante – Keyboards, Drum programming

Enrique García – Vocals, Guitars

Official Bandcamp: https://neonoir1.bandcamp.com

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neonoirband

All photos belong to their rightful owners.