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NITHE
Night Of The Ghoul EP

Self-released (2024)
Rating: 8/10

Just how many more quality extreme metal bands can Norway keep vomiting out! Kristiansand-based Nithe is the latest dank and dismal metal act to crawl from the pits with a debut EP that writhes in its own organic waste.

Steeped in atmosphere, this four-song release channels old school despair while adding its own morbid traits. It’s still essentially no frills, earthy blackened thrash n’ death metal, but as with a lot of Norwegian bands there is a certain striking element you just can’t put your finger on that gives such a composition an extra layer of menace and snarl.

The rawness is apparent immediately with the hail of the opening title track. Vocalist Henrik Nuland has a throaty gasping style that escapes from the gauze of rushing, cold guitar and persistent percussion. Everything about this work feels damp, especially with the skirmish caused by ‘Moon Curse’ with its grim resonations and snaking axe work that glistens with an oily black thrash temper.

‘Ominous Void’ ups the quality even further with its heavy, punky rolling Darkthrone-styled sneering riff before an eventual dip into a wintry black doom plod. Closer ‘Engulfed In Slithering Sorcery’ is arguably the blackest, most spiteful cut on the EP, and again there’s that cruel, churning riffage that Hellhammer and Celtic Frost made a career out of and which so many filthy black metal bands were inspired by.

Night Of The Ghoul is a highly recommend EP from another venomous Norwegian act.

Neil Arnold

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