This review deals not with the Portuguese DSBM-band Nyctophilia, but with the Latvian one, dwelling within the same emotional / aural atmospheres. It’s a very young formation that recorded a first EP at the DMX Sound Records studio. For the release of this four-tracker, Nyctophilia joined forces with young German label Weltfeind, created to support ‘Depressive Underground Music’ of all kinds. Mythology Of Optimism is the third release on this label (run by Castellum Stoufenburc’s Soldat D., by the way) (a review on both former releases, one by Echo Grid and one by Lost In The Gray Days, can be found on this site, both on the update of January 24th 2015).
This EP / MCD comes, as usual (and then I am referring to both Weltfeind and Castellum Stoufenburc), in a fine, truly artistic edition, i.e. a cardboard in A5-format, 6-paged, and with black-white photography / lay-out (based on emptied industrial buildings…). Less is more, once again proven by the hand, and mind, of Cold Sun Arts (CSA).
The songs are ‘sung’ in the band’s mother tongue, Latvian, and deal with death and pain, loss and sickness. There’s more cheer on a graveyard…
Opener Pak. (‘cancer’) starts with a truly desolate and desperate introduction, based on semi-acoustic guitars and a melancholic melody on guitar, pretty soon followed by slow-downed drums and extremely painful, wretched vocals by Negative (who also took care of several drum parts, by the way, since former member Pancka left). The semi-acoustic melodies in marriage with truly beautiful tremolo leads are the driving force behind this piece (with the vocal lines I just mentioned), but as from the second half of this opening song on, Nyctophilia shows another piece of their scarred face too, by having some sudden eruptions of external aggression and anger. Toшнота (‘nausea’) is little shorter (four minutes), yet with pretty much the same approach. Though, the main differences with the first song are the atmosphere, which is much more epic, and the execution, which is less introspective and much more straight-forward. For sure this track breathes a victorious atmosphere, as if it reveals a way to escape from superficiality. Then comes Coциальный Передоз (‘Social Overdose’), also coming with quite an impressive epic approach. Once again remarkable are the tremolo leads and fine-tuned riffs, adding a paganised identity, whether you believe it or not. I think it’s rather melancholy than depression that might be considered the driving force behind this band’s moonlit cloudiness. The last song on this EP is called Shattered Dreams, and it’s an instrumental one. It opens with a nice acoustic melody, followed shortly after by electric guitars, before returning to the acoustic essence, yet this time with another layer of semi-melancholic beauty and craftsmanship. The electric guitars return, but like before, they go further, adding another, new layer of musicianship. There is no doubt but to consider such outro as the only possibility to end this cold aural expression of unhappiness. …it makes me happy!