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Nocturne Wulf: Nocturne Wulf
Nocturne Wulf 2019 Debut Album Music Review

Nocturne Wulf: Nocturne Wulf

Heavy/Speed/Thrash Metal
4.5/5.0

Hailing from Glasgow, Nocturne Wulf is a new metal band taking the Scottish highlands and the English countryside by storm. Formed a mere three years ago, the band arrives with their first full-length album, simply self-titled and self-released.

Nocturne Wolf - Click For Larger Image

Nocturne Wolf

With this review I'm loathe to bore you with details. Rather my first impressions still remain. Nocturne Wulf reminds me of Metallica. Not modern Metallica, but early Metallica perhaps through And Justice For All or the black album. Nocturne Wulf has the similar riffs, thrash, speed, and epic guitar solos of those early days. Perhaps the only difference is that vocalist Bob McDougall doesn't sound entirely like James Hetfield. Sure he can sound gravel tongued like Hetfield, but McDougall has more range, singing classic melodic metal to screamo. You'll hear the Metallica vibe with many and most songs but notably with such tunes as Gunslinger, Necrodancer, Stormage, or Troll Hunter.

Alternatively, Nocturne Wulf also reminds of classic and traditional New Wave of Briitsh Heavy Metal ala Iron Maiden, offering plenty of twin guitar harmony, more moderate pacing, greater vocal and guitar harmony and, of course, the necessary abundant guitar solos. You might find this motif with Hell's Heart, The Druid, Barbarian, or The Wolf. Yet, in the same breath, we might say Nocturne Wulf is borrowing the best from both worlds. Nevertheless, anyway you might describe them, with their speed, fury, and rip-roaring guitar work, Nocturne Wulf raises high the flag of traditional keep it true heavy metal, and that makes their debut album a mighty one. Recommended.


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The Bottom Line

Anyway you might describe them, with their speed, fury, and rip-roaring guitar work, Nocturne Wulf raises high the flag of traditional keep it true heavy metal, and that makes their debut album a mighty one. Recommended.

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