VIRGIN STEELE – Nocturnes Of Hellfire & Damnation (2015)

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Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist David DeFeis is a highly talented individual and the mastermind behind VIRGIN STEELE, the cult legend New York metal band which are presenting their new CD “Nocturnes Of Hellfire & Damnation“, to be released next June 22.
It will come out with three different covers as a standard 1CD version (the gargoyle cover), 2CD digipak version (the angel cover), 2 LP gatefold version (the flute playing skeleton cover).

For those who are new to Virgin Steele here’s some background information about the band; they started in the early ’80s playing straight heavy metal gaining a strong cult fan base world-wide via their imported LP’s (I am one of those), some kind of USA answer to Judas Priest.
Then they changed to epic metal days during the 90’s delivering some really strong albums, and the following decade Virgin Steele adopted a more darker sound, with synphonic elements.
Well, “Nocturnes Of Hellfire & Damnation” is mix of Virgin Steele’s past musical journeys.

And right from the beginning you can hear some power and raw emotion with some spontaneous roars and screams thrown in on tracks like “Lucifer’s Hammer” and “Black Sun – Black Mass”, that would not be out of place on earlier heavier albums.
Then “Queen Of The Dead” is groovy and mid-tempo paced hard rocker yet melodic heavy, as it is the mysterious “Persephone” with interesting arrangements throughout.

All these first tracks are straight rockers, however in typical Virgin Steele style, that means epic yet not grandiose or pompous. Mostly, it’s done with – on a larger scale – the arrangement and then throw the guitar lines and DeFeis’ vocals and vocal arrangements. Honestly, I think he must own 20 or more different ways to sing, scream, screech, growl, or howl. Sometimes I wonder if, excepting the lyrics, he knows what’s going to come out between those pearly whites.

Around halfway through the album there is a rather noticeable change in direction. While the first half offers heavier and faster songs, the second half offers more elaborated, mid-tempo, keyboard heavy and dreary compositions.
Just take as example “Glamour”, which twists the arrangement with more tough riffs to start, only to calm down in the middle with some piano and Queensryche atmospheres, and bring those ambitious riffs back in the end.

Each song stands alone instead of following an overall concept and there are genuine surprises within; “We Disappear” begins with a crunchy guitar riff, pretty heavy, but in the middle a piano and some strings appears with the song turning progressive and intriguing.
On “Delirium” they sound like a mix of early Queensryche, Alice Cooper, and Ten / Gary Hughes, and the mood & feeling is quite captivating.

This is what I found to be one of the most impressive aspects of “Nocturnes Of Hellfire & Damnation”, a mix of older and newer styles. Virgin Steele successfully achieved what they set out to do; create a collection of songs that offer a mix of classic melodic metal / hard rock moments, moody chord changes, monolithic riffs with new ideas.
Mostly, Virgin Steele does not follow the classic verse-chorus-solo-verse pattern. They are unique and surprises you all the time.

I hope not only melodic metal fans give to “Nocturnes Of Hellfire & Damnation” a chance, as there’s a lot to enjoy for classic hard rockers, progressive and sympho fans here.
Virgin Steele is defying genres on “Nocturnes Of Hellfire & Damnation”, it’s an album plenty of different textures, moods and intelligent arrangements that keeps you interested all the time.
STRONGLY Recommended.

01. Lucifer’s Hammer
02. Queen Of The Dead
03. To Darkness Eternal
04. Black Sun-Black Mass
05. Persephone
06. Devilhead
07. Demolition Queen
08. The Plague And The Fire
09. We Disappear
10. A Damned Apparition
11. Glamour
12. Delirium
13. Hymns To Damnation
14. Fallen Angels

David DeFeis – Vocals, Bass, Keyboards
Edward Pursino – Guitars
Joshua Block – Guitars
Frank Gilchriest – Drums

Pre-Order:
www.amazon.co.uk/Nocturnes-Hellfire-Damnation-Virgin-Steele/dp/B00WU4XGTQ
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