Party of 6 – they’re Swedish, they play melodic black like Illnath and Dimmu Borgir – they’re Nightshade.

The overall impression of the album “Wielding the Scythe” is that the music is very well composed. The keyboard is a good foundation for an experience in symphonic black metal – one of the better I’ve had in my time. The 8 songs on the album is not a groundbreaking experience – nor do they reveal any major technical experiments, but the basics are there and with that as a starting point Nightshade are off for a safe journey into the land of fame and success.

This record has hit potential – I’d like to emphasize fourth song on the album “Moonlight in Chaos Shone”. First of all because it has an very melodic chorus, that make one feel like humming along to the tune and a beautiful bridge with an acoustic guitar, before all hell breaks loose again. Listening to that song on top of the rest of the album is like hitting the shower on the warmest summer day ever – very nice and very refreshing.

The album “Wielding the Scythe” is recorded under the guidance of the very skilled producer Palle Saether. The recording took place in Studio Underground, where other great bands such as Terror 2000 and Carnal Forge have done some of their recordings.

Smooth as marble, and suddenly it transforms into an inferno of grinding and utterly distorted guitars, and drums pounding as if it was their last day on earth. They have added a partially very growling male vocal, and a – which is often seen in this genre, a bright and clear female vocal. Sounds similar to Susperia, Edenbridge and related bands who reside in the borderland between Goth, neoclassic, industrial and symphonic black.

But I wonder where did all the string players go – I really could have used a few violins or cellos there – they would have made the perfect contribution to an already almost perfect sound.

Thanks to the production on this album and the music in general, I won’t hesitate to appoint “Wielding the Scythe” as one of the best new releases coming from Sweden for a long time. If Nightshade keeps up the good work, there’s no limit to how far they will go with their music.

The album is a fine piece of music, and it deserves to be picked from the record shelf on a regular basis – I know that I will!