Review of Oblivion by Noctem

1. Popol Vuh

2. The Arrival of the False Gods

3. Universal Disorder

4. Abnegation and Brutality

5. Invictus

6. Sons of Hun – Vucub

7. Seeking the Ruin of Souls

8. Unredemption

9. Q’Uma’Rka’Aaj

10. A Borning Winged Snake

11. Oblivion

Oblivion is the second or third full length album from Spain-based extreme/black metal band Noctem. It was released through Rising Records and Metal Blade picked it up to be released in North America. Noctem has been making a name for themselves over the past year doing tours with many well known black metal bands such as Incantation, Hate, Ragnarok, and Gorgoroth.

To start this album of in a very epic fashion, we are given an intro called Popol Vuh which is one of the best album intro I’ve heard, second to Mayhem’s Silvester Anfang. This intro sold me already and the first song The Arrival of the False Gods got this album in my good books immediately. The whole album in general has very heavy, dark riffs along with fast paced drumming but also has it’s epic black metal slow but fitting riffs as well. The vocalist does a combination highs and lows, keeping with the band’s style with evil growls and high shrieks. This album was very intense the whole way through. I want to remind everyone that there is either a hidden track at the end of the self entitled track, Oblivion, or the song just continues after the little eerie sounding thing that plays in the middle. Overall, Noctem is bringing extreme and black metal together like I’ve never seen before.