Cemetery Skyline – Nordic Gothic
Release Date: 11th October 2024
Label: Century Media
Bandcamp
Genre: Goth Metal, Goth Rock, Melodic Metal.
FFO: The Sisters of Mercy, Type O Negative, Tiamet, HIM, Unto Others.
Review By: Rick Farley
Cemetery Skyline is filled with well-known musicians, forming a veritable who’s who of extreme metal. The true definition of a supergroup. Guitarist Markus Vanhala (Insomnium, Omnium gatherum) is joined by keyboardist Santeri Kallio (Amorphis), drummer Vesa Ranta (Sentenced), bassist Victor Brandt (Dimmu Borgir), and singer Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity) one of death metals most revered vocalist who also happens to have an incredible clean singing voice and flexes it with amazing elegance throughout the release of Nordic Gothic.
Just on the surface of seeing these names all together in one band, one might be inclined to think “another extreme metal band filled with random guys looking to cash in,” well thankfully in this case, one would be very wrong. Cemetery Skyline is the exact opposite. A melodic, sombre band filled with goth metal/rock soundscapes taking influence from the eighties and nineties, only to present it with shadowy visions of a diverse sound that’s not easily described. It has synth atmosphere, melodic metal, dark undertones, and charging rock all wrapped into one infectiously satisfying listen.
Expectation for the debut of Nordic Gothic just based on the assembled members are already extremely high. Throw in the fact that it’s uncharted territory for the members not being flavoured with extreme metal, also noting that it is Stannes first entirely clean vocal performance on an album, and the expectations for this skyrocket even further.
If you’ve been following along with Cemetery skyline for the last few months, you already know that they have released five singles, which is exactly half the album. Each showing tremendous focus on songwriting and gloomy ambience fuelled by illuminated goth infused rock. First single In Darkness with its synth heavy background and crunchy, chuggy guitar riffs take the listener on a journey of sing-along hooks that feel huge in scope and will surely be a live staple. A shred tinged solo amps up the intensity, solidifying the classic infectious stylings of metal fused with upbeat darkness. The Type O Negative influenced The Coldest Heart complete with what sounds like a tribute performance of a slinky, lumbering bassline to the legend of Peter Steele is an absolute highlight from the album. The track is full of headbanging swagger and gorgeous textured melodies. This could very easily be my favourite song of 2024, It’s undeniable. Behind the Lie is full of riffy Sentenced vibes that will have fans salivating. A chill inducing Amorphis style crunch strikes hard at the three-minute mark, giving just a taste of epic heaviness mixed with lingering keyboard backgrounds. Alone Together resides as the band’s dark rock ballad. Stunning textures collide with harmony full of lasting emotions. Another Type O Negative infused track that hits all the feels. The perfect end.
One issue I do have, though, is that with so many singles released, when I finally heard the entirety of the record, it felt a little less impactful than It should have. Two less than stellar tracks didn’t land quite as well as everything else did, which only gave me another three really good songs to absorb. This is still however a highly enjoyable record filled with incredible emotional singing, crunchy riffs, mysterious atmospheres, and rock swagger that will leave its gothic bite deep inside.
Nordic Gothic releases October 11th, 2024, on the mighty century Media records. That band ensures us all that “Cemetery Skyline is not a short-lived and slowly withering project. In fact, this is not a project at all, but a new stable band. So darkened souls and other shadowy wanderers, you have been warned…”
I, for one, can’t wait to see what this band if fully capable of. Get this in your ears.
(4 / 5)
