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NOMANS LAND
Last Crusade

Massacre (2015)
Rating: 5/10

As soon as you push the “play” button on Last Crusade – the fifth album from Russia’s Nomans Land – you know what you’re in for.

Nomans Land deserves to be put into the same category as label mates Heathen Foray, although for me these guys are just not my cup of tea. From the galloping yet formulaic Viking melodies to the clean vocal choruses, this is very much run of the mill yet catchy “epic” metal, evoking images of warring armies, mythical landscapes, glistening ruins and Norse heroism. Nomans Land occupies the more tepid end of the spectrum, however, opposite to Heathen Foray’s heavier strains.

With opener ‘Right To Luck’, the Nomans Land sound is summed up; although less dramatic than certain bands, there’s just no real oomph to proceedings except within the occasional vocal sneers, which all too often make way for those predictable booming choruses where the main vocal sounds as if it’s been puked out by some choir of soldiers. It just sounds all too camp and cheesy for my liking, particularly on ‘Sons Of The Nord’. The track meanders with no real menace or grit, but this is traditional Viking metal played safely and given extra bite with Hjervard’s snarl – with Sigurd’s injection of crooning though, I’m just repulsed to my very core, exhausted by such dire bellows.

And the album follows that premise throughout, probably because that’s what people expect from such a caper. Although the general sound is one rather lightweight, the solos are a tad lofty and yet have no ability to cut deep – the seemingly medieval jigs of ‘Victory Horns’ better suited to a night in with Game Of Thrones – although I’m certainly not deterred by the beefier vocal menace which seems to suit the music better, especially when the drums, bass and guitars unite to produce added flair.

‘Strain At The Oars’ is a half decent track, hinting at some mid-to-late 80s menace with a steely riff and rattling drum, and yet I’m sat there praying that the clean vocal does not interrupt. When it does though, it’s actually not as grating as other segments of the album. Indeed, one can imagine muscle-bound soldiers pounding the waves and so this track is proof that at times the defter vocal touches can work, but what I don’t want is a blinding glean.

‘Dragons’ follows a similar path to ‘Strain At The Oars’ although is less potent, but ‘Last Crusade’ just resorts to type and I just wonder how many bands of this ilk have come up with such similar routes. ‘Warrior’s Path’ picks up the pace, the guitars worming their way nicely but offering no malice whatsoever, and the closing ‘Bereza’ is again typical; boasting that choir of booming voices to the point of hilarity.

I just can’t take it seriously, and yet I realise just how passionate these sorts of bands are about mythology and the likes. If I wanted such mystical prowess though, I’d slap on Manilla Road, Cirith Ungol or Quorthon Seth (Bathory). And so, Nomans Land just isn’t my thing. They could take a few lessons from Heathen Foray, although with a career spanning almost 20 years I don’t think this Russian troop is going to be interested in what I’ve got to say. So it’s best I left them to their own devices as they enrol on another course of role-playing tomfoolery.

Neil Arnold

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