When a new supergroup is formed, it is often expected for the band to play the same genres the members are used to playing in their other bands. Not Cemetery Skyline. The five piece, which consists of members from iconic bands such as Dark Tranquillity and Dimmu Borgir, is not a melodic death metal or black metal band. This new project is purely hard rock, with some synth and gothic elements. Giving the listener an insight into what type of sounds inspire each of these metal icons throughout Nordic Gothic.
The first four tracks on the tracklist are all singles. ‘Torn Away’ kicks things off. An uplifting track which sets the tone for the rest of the album. With mellow verses and a huge chorus, ending with a short but epic guitar solo transition into the final chorus, this song sets the tone for most of this album in terms of how energetic the tracks get throughout this record.
Track number three has one of the catchiest choruses on this album. ‘Violent Storm’ starts out softly during the verses, building up during the pre-choruses, while the chorus explodes. The synths carry this track. What really makes this song unique to the others on the track list, is that it features a power metal key change, a lower change, and the typical higher key change to end the song off, highlighting Mikael Stanne’s voice throughout.
Marking the halfway point, ‘When Silence Speaks’ is the only ballad of the 10 songs this album contains. As a result, it has to be more powerful and impactful than the rest of the record. This song has the record’s most powerful drum sounds. They’re extremely bombastic yet take nothing away from the rest of the instruments. The synths rightfully sound like pianos, and the guitars do not overwhelm, even with the short solo. Vocally, the song remains within the same range as the rest of the album, but are delivered with noticeable passion, making this song yet another highlight for these musicians.
The song that follows is the heaviest this album has, including the only little bit of harsh vocals, screaming the titular line “’The Darkest Night’”. The guitars take centre stage here, as they are given the freedom to carry this track. Whilst not being the most musically complicated track here, the heaviness is something that Dark Tranquillity fans will certainly appreciate.
‘The Coldest Heart’ is the last single on the tracklist. This catchy song is elevated through having a massive choir pulling off some form of chant, making this chorus sound humongous. What truly elevates this song, is the two guitar solos. The first is the most technical on the album, whilst the second transitions into the synthy outro which makes for a unique ending, and something new for an album which has featured a bunch of similar song conclusions.
The final track is also the longest. At times feeling like a ballad, and at others sounding like a guitar driven hard rock mid-paced song, the track feels like a reflection of the entire album. The heavy guitars, pounding drums, and synths which constantly sound different, are all included here. This makes the album feel complete, and the ending line proves it. “Forever alone together”. A chilling way to end, and when you see that the song is entitled ‘Alone Together’, it works perfectly as a powerful last line of an album.
To conclude, Nordic Gothic is a collection of songs which would never work in any of these band member’s original bands but is something that perfectly suits each of the Cemetery Skyline members. Most of the songs do sound similar and have similar concepts, with huge choruses, great guitar solos and experimental synth sounds, this is a very strong and creative rock album. With this debut album, Cemetery Skyline have proven why they are veterans of the metal scene, and they show no signs of slowing down, even if they go outside of their comfort zones.
Cemetery Skyline: Nordic Gothic – Out 11 October 2024 (Century Media)
SKYLINE – Behind The Lie (OFFICIAL VIDEO) (youtube.com)
