1054. Bloodbound / Nosferatu. 2006. 4/5

In this wonderful modern age of music, the advent of digital music platforms has not only opened the doors of bands around the world to find a larger and wider fan base, it has made the discovery of those bands and albums so much easier for the music lover. And sometimes, when all of the algorithms work right and you get recommendations for album and bands that you might like that you've never heard, you find an album or band that lights up your life for a moment in time. And that is exactly what happened for me and Nosferatu.

There are albums that technically mightn’t be brilliant but that I love just for the music and especially the vocals. HammerFall’s Glory to the Brave is a leading example of that, in that it mightn't be instrumentally perfectly proficient but it has great tunes and superb vocals. This is another case in point and given that I discovered it in much the same way as I did that HammerFall album perhaps it isn't coincidental. The galloping beat of the double kick drums sets the tempo in every song, followed by those happy power metal guitars and brilliant double tracked vocals from Urban Breed create the perfect setting for anyone who enjoys this kind of metal. For me it is important that there are no power ballads here at all, no attempt to slow the whole album down by partaking in that style of metal that requires that kind of song to make it popular with the masses. No, not here on Bloodbound’s debut, all you get is upmarket speed with great guitars and soaring vocals throughout, with no respite. This gets bonus points for that alone. This has, for the most part, my favourite parts of this genre of metal without the crap. It might sound like it’s a formula as you listen, as the base of each song has a similar feel and sound because of the way the drums and bass come together. Some would say that this is exactly what all power metal is like. Personally, I don’t care how similar sounding the songs are as long as they are enjoyable and fun. And as it turns out, that’s what this album does for me. When I put it on, it lifts my mood immediately.
The opening track “Behind the Moon” is a beauty, immediately setting forth the solid base of what is to follow. “Into the Dark” is a great follow up, while the title track “Nosferatu” is another terrific song based around the double kick drum and excellent vocals. “Metal Monster” and “Crucified” continue the excellent material well into the middle of the album, each showcasing the best moments that the band has to offer. Then “Desdemonamelia” starts off at a furious pace before changing back and forth between a traditional heavy song and its power metal roots.
While many people have likened this album to a power metal version of Iron Maiden, I think the real influences can be heard in “Fallen from Grace” and “Scream in the Night”. “Fallen from Grace” has two verses that are sung very closely to the way the verses in Helloween’s “Eagle Fly Free” are sung and remind me heavily of it, while it is the guitar solo’s in “Scream in the Night” that have a heavily influenced Helloween sound about them. Great stuff. “For the King” continues in this direction, before “Midnight Sun” and “For the Battlefield” end the album on a great note.

Music is all about lifting your mood, enlightening your day and allowing your pain and anguish to drain away while you listen to it. For me at least, this album does this with relative ease. Put it on and give me four scotches and I’ll soar with the vocals for the length of the album. It won’t be to everyone’s taste, and I can even hear where people will have issues with the music. The love of music is subjective, and Bloodbound here have created the kind of album I can get on board with without a care in the world. Long live ballad-less power metal, and long live Nosferatu.

Rating: “With the light of day comes no sanctuary, as the shadows fade away”. 4/5