Year of No Light – NordCrucial Blast
The sludge/shoegaze mixture has unfortunately become the newest in a line of ‘hot shit’ trends that cross genres and attempt to make metal ‘safe’ for hipsters to be into. I have to admit there are a few bands that do it well, but France’s Year of No Light misses the mark. The opening track, “Sélénite” sounds like a lost cut from Cult of Luna’s second full-length, Salvation. However, the band quickly fall flat after this opening instrumental piece. There are several other instrumental moments on Nord that revisit the potential of “Sélénite,” but they are quickly overshadowed by unnecessary modern hardcore tinges and screamy vocals that just aren't burly enough and don’t fit.
