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For most Christian metal fans, I\u2019m pretty sure that Abated Mass of Flesh is still the final word when it comes to Christian slam, but with the band no longer identifying as a Christian act, it\u2019s left a pretty big hole in the style. Nyctalopia (the name refers to a condition known as “night-blindness) is a one-man slam band from Arizona that seems ready to fill that musical void.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Flesh Slayer<\/em> Review<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n One issue I\u2019ve always had with slam is its simplistic nature. As I mentioned in a different review, I can listen to a black metal band like Paysage d\u2019Hiver play the same drum beat for 20 minutes on end, but slam\u2019s caveman-like approach to brutality is a real acquired taste. Thankfully, Nyctalopia doesn\u2019t just settle for chugging along, but actually adds some variety into the mix. Where Nyctalopia shines is its use of a plethora of vocal styles – you get the hideous gurgles that slam vocals are known for, but you also get high-pitched screams and even some mid-range roars, sometimes all combined to give a similar effect to what you\u2019d hear on a Deicide or Bloodwork record. This all helps to keep the album from sinking beneath its own brutality into a morass of noise. More than that however is Nyctalopia\u2019s occasional use of atmosphere as well – witness the haunting ambience that lurks like a dismal fog behind all the carnage on \u201cRepulsive Cycle\u201d for an awesome example of this. There\u2019s even a cover of an Abated Mass of Flesh track to wrap it all up in a gory bow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Themes and Lyrics<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I can\u2019t even imagine if Flesh Slayer<\/em> was sent to Christian book and music stores in 1991. If Mortification\u2019s first record was considered shocking then, I wonder what kind of reception this one would have gotten. The cover of Flesh Slayer <\/em>is right up there with Vomitorial Corpulence\u2019s Skin Stripper<\/em> or Dehumanize\u2019s Malum, Scelesto, Ferox<\/em> for shock value with its graphic depiction of a man literally tearing himself to pieces. As the artist notes on their Bandcamp page: \u201cThose concerned about the album cover: The album title and art refers to killing your old self and feeding the new.\u201d Putting to death the passions is nothing new in the spiritual life, and though different Christians might differ on how this is done and why, it\u2019s simply part and parcel of carrying our crosses daily. Nyctalopia is simply advocating a death to self message and translating it into a written and visual language that fans of slam music can identify with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s not to say that the whole record\u2019s about brutal asceticism, however. Nyctalopia touches on struggling with depression and finding hope and strength in Christ, societal decay, lust, and also tackles the issue of abortion in a way I haven\u2019t seen since Frost Like Ashes did Born to Pieces<\/em>. No punches pulled, this is dark and confrontational stuff, but with a light at the end of the tunnel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Overall, though I\u2019m not a big fan of slam as I said, Nyctalopia have managed to impress me with this one. It\u2019s got some atmosphere to it, it\u2019s got variety, and keeps things interesting. And just because I\u2019m not a huge slam devotee doesn\u2019t mean that I can\u2019t see that there\u2019s a ton for slam fans to gorge upon with this one. If you\u2019re looking for a darker introspective take on slam music with a message of self-denial, you\u2019ll dig this one for sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Fans Of<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n