By Joseph Hammann, Staff Writer

Photo on cover courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org

To all you metalheads out there, this is for you! Formed in 2021 in Italy, symphonic  power metal band Nocturna has returned with the release of their second album Of Sorcery and Darkness on April 19th. With the release of their first album Daughters of the Night in 2022, listeners were introduced to the dark fantasy style composition of Federico Mondelli, the blissful vocal stylings of duet Grace Darkling and Rehn Stillnight and instrumentalists Antares and Deimos. After the first album’s success, it didn’t take long for the group to get back to the studio for round two.  

“Burn The Witch”: Starting off the album is a song detailing the story of witches burned at the stake accused of witchcraft. The quick and dynamic drumming style of lead drummer Deimos alongside the instrumentation from bassist Antares and composer Mondelli add to the adrenaline with the vocal styles of Darkling and Stillnight working in conjunction to tell the story and increase the listeners’ anticipation. 

“Sapphire”: Albeit slower than “Burn The Witch,” “Sapphire” still shows how every member of  Nocturna works together to make their songs cohesive. This song uses its verses and refrain to show how Darkling’s higher soprano voice and Stillnight’s lower alto voice can be as strong together as they are separately. With Antares and Mondelli bringing killer string strums to keep the tempo afloat and Deimos drumming a steady rhythm, “Sapphire” shows that allegretto can work well with the band’s style alongside allegro.  

“Noctis Avem”: Starting with a strong vocal introduction with Stillnight and Darkling, the following quick instrumentation keeps a steady allegretto but doesn’t hesitate to change the key signature when needed. By splitting the verses between Darkling and Stillnight, it becomes clear how the band is uniquely able to build up stories while working together in the context of this song.. The ending instrumentation additionally makes. “Noctis Avem” feel more distinctive when compared to the genre’s usual drums and guitar. 

“Creatures of Darkness”: Starting with a hard drumming solo from Deimos, “Creatures of  Darkness” brings an imaginative percussive approach to the lyrics that give Darkling and Stillnight time to vocalize about the dangers and wonders of supernatural night. The instrumental bridge solo helps tie the song together, making this track very mysterious and epic.  

“Midnight Sun”: Right when the song starts, Darkling and Stillnight immediately begin singing a story of night in a serene forest for the listener to visualize. They are supported by Mondelli’s guitar rips, which assists the instrumentation provided by Deimos and Antares. The style of “Midnight Sun” is very similar to “Burn The Witch.”  

“First Disobedience”: This song sets the scene for the rest of the album with a flat note. In the background, crows are cawing and a narrator reads aloud the story of the disobedience of man found in Genesis.  

“Seven Sins”: Rather than ending with the percussion, “Seven Sins” starts with it. Every last word is stressed in the vocal work to add to the tension. The glockenspiel style rhythms add to the theming, and the guitar and drumming retain the adrenaline.  

“Through The Maze”: Taking a slower approach, “Through The Maze” gives the instrumentalists more time to set the stage and help bring the “group” effort together. While Darkling and Stillnight sing the refrain together, each gets their own verse, allowing the contrast in styles to be so integral to the composition.  

“Strangers”: “Strangers” helps show off the similarities in Darkling and Stillnight’s vocal ranges alongside their differences. With Deimos’ loud and thrashing drums keeping the fast tempo engaging alongside Antares and Mondelli’s stringing, the song becomes fun yet mysterious.  

“Last Day On Earth”: To end off the album, this song starts with Darkling soloing the first half while the instrumentalists back her up before Stillnight completes the sum. The duet’s bridge adds to the final song energy and lets the slower tempo make way for a wondrous final product. 

With this second album, it is clear Nocturna is heading down the right road to  international attention with how wonderful the album is as a finished product. If any  metalheads want to listen to newer metal bands that are less known, here’s one to try.