Nocturnal Tyrants’ ‘Where the Conquered Lies…’ is a suitably grim little offering from Brazilian Black Metal outfit Nocturnal Tyrants. There is a straightforwardness to this demo that works in its favour, with the band concentrating on the darker, nastier side of the genre rather than trying to make everything sound bigger or cleaner than it needs to be.
The title already gives you an idea of the mood, and the music follows that same path: bleak, hostile and firmly rooted in the underground. There is no great need for unnecessary decoration here. It feels like a demo in the proper sense of the word: direct, rough around the edges and more interested in creating an atmosphere than ticking every box.
What I like about these kinds of releases is that they still feel like somebody actually wanted to make a Black Metal record rather than a carefully packaged product. ‘Where the Conquered Lies…’ has that feeling. It is dark, uncomplicated and suitably cold, with enough character to make you want to go back for another listen.
