Nomicon - Promo '98 CD

Nomicon - Promo '98 CD
1) A Search (Beginning)
2) Denial
3) Saint An

Narod / Mediafire

Nomicon from Finland started in 1990, first playing (or so I read) death/thrash metal which evolved then into the technical death metal which culminated in the split CD shared with Sarnath released (delayed) in 1994. Which is not my pint of beer, not at all. Music that technical just doesn't do anything to me. But on with the show, after that the band practically split up, leaving the main man Tommi Launonen alone, toying with computer and sound cards. Teaming up with Jarno Taskula (Evemaster, among others) they recorded a promo tape in 1996 which was very different from the old direction, consisting of computer music with raw double vocals. He pushed forward, recruited some more people to assist and recorded the first real Nomicon album "Yellow" in 1997 which dealt with the concept of Mecca's destruction. And so we have arrived on this recording which was made as a trio (Launonen, Roope Latvala & Agathon) and released on CDr on Launonen's Aquarius Production, predecessor to Sagittarius Productions. Ripped from an original copy, includes scans of the xeroxed covers and a bio sheet where you can read more if that wasn't enough already.

These three tracks were recorded in a couple of days in S-studios with Lord Heikkinen assisting and the resulting sound is pretty good, clear but not overpolished. Music is kind of half-symphonic black/dark metal with other elements in as well. Based quite heavily on synths but clearly metal this brings first to my mind Covenant (nor) circa "Nexus Polaris" and maybe Tartaros, the pace is similar, midtempo one too. We're not really moving in my area of expertise so I'll drop the name dropping and just say that I find this surprisingly listenable even though that genre isn't what I listen to these days. There being just a bit over ten minutes of material here obviously affects that outcome as well. Another thing I like here is Launonen's vocals which get maniacal at times. Not like the guy Maniac's, mind you. If you enjoy synth-driven symphonic sort of 90's black/dark metal you might like this. Enough writing, I'm out.